Cherry Tomato
by Phe-chan
Summary: Spike has lost Ed on Mars...and now the crew must face the consequences- a weird, lovable Jet, and SpikeFaye battles of death! Sadly, all good things must come to an end. An epilogue for your piece of mind...
1. Default Chapter

Hi to everyone. Just a little a/n before we start. This is my first Bebop ficlet, but I've been a big fan of the series for ages. And yes, when I get super-crazy hyper, I act a little like Ed, but slightly more deranged, if that is entirely possible. I do not own any of the Bebop crew or characters, much to my extreme disgust, but I guess I'll have to be content with wearing my Bebop DVDS out with over usage. Please enjoy, leave a review and have a look at my other fics if you're interested. I'll try to make regular updates.

CHERRY TOMATO

Session One

"…Jet?" The voice was quiet and wavering, issuing from the full lips of a scantily clad woman sprawled out on her back on a heavily patched and repaired sofa. Jet Black, former police detective looked up from his mangled bonsai tree, trying to repair it from an encounter with Edward.

"God damn it! What, Faye?"

"Oh…nothing." Jet turned back to his work.

"…Jet?" His concentration shattered, Jet slammed the pair of clippers he was holding down on the coffee table.

"WHAT?"

"Spike's been gone a long time…"

"_Tch,_ is that all? Spike's a big boy. I'm sure he can survive for a few hours on Mars. Fuel's getting pretty hard to find these days. The last bounty only just covered the bill for the Bebop's tanks."

"Well, maybe if you tried updating this tin can, you'd find-"

"TIN CAN? I don't see you complaining when it carries you and your ship all around the galaxy for _nothing_."

"HEY! I DO PLENTY AROUND HERE!"

"OH YEAH? LIKE WHAT?"

"Uhhh…"

"HA! SEE? IT'S JUST LIKE I SAID, YOU-"

A visual communicator, come television screen crackled and fizzled into life. Both adults left off their argument, surprised, and sat down in front of the screen. With his mechanical arm, Jet gave it a none-too friendly tap. Spike's blurry face appeared. Smiling, Jet bent down closer.

"Hey, buddy. Did you pick up the order I sent with you?"

"The fuel? Yeah, I got that."

"Great, well come back to the Bebop, and we'll have some noodles"

"As great as that sounds right now Jet, I…can't." 

"Huh? You're saying _no_ to food? What's wrong? Are you sick?"

The young man in the screen scratched his neck, somewhat apologetically.

"No…it's nothing like that. I've…"

"I've.." Faye prompted.

"I've lost Ed!"

"WHAT?" Both Jet and Faye leaned closer to the screen.

"What happened?"

Spike looked irritated and flustered.

"We were walking down the street- to get the fuel, when all of a sudden, she spots this guy in the crowd and takes off after him!"

Faye looked somewhat worried; "Did she say anything before she left?"

"Sure, she said plenty. Though the only two words I picked up were "Papa and Tomato!"

"Papa…Tomato? Her computer, Tomato?"

"Hey, don't ask me to translate for you. I don't speak crazy."

Massaging his temples, Jet gave a small sigh. Today was not his day…

"Ok, come back to the ship. Maybe if we stick around for a while, she'll just turn up?"

"Whatever. See you soon." With a blip, the screen turned black.

"Damn Kid. Knew it was bad luck to have one on board. This is your entire stupid fault, Faye. You and your stupid promises."

Faye Valentine rolled her eyes and settled back down on the sofa. "It got the job done, didn't it? Besides, you're always complaining about how you wish you could get rid of Ed. Look at this morning. She tried to eat your little tree!"

Jet sniffed loudly and turned stiffly away towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, I guess." 

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~

Breathe. Just breathe and keep running. Huh? A RAMEN STAND! No, Edward must resist…must… must…

With blood pounding in her ears, a tanned young girl with startling red hair stopped in the middle of the crowded Mars street, sat down and began to wail her piteous state.

"Edward is _so_ hun-gry! Who will feed Edward?" Hopefully, she looked up at the faces of the people passing by. They dismissed her at a glance. One whispered loudly to his companion,

"Earth peasant." The other nodded and looked down at Ed as though she were something extremely slimy and foul smelling. They walked off into the crowd to pass their hasty judgment on to someone else.

Groaning, Ed stood up, patting her grumbling stomach. 

"Ed will get something to put inside you." The ramen vendor waved a slotted spoon at her.

"Are you just going to stand there all day, or are you going to buy something?"

Floating on the scent of warm, spicy food, Ed bumped against the brightly coloured cloth covering the table of the stand.

"Ooo, gimmiegimmiegimme!" The vendor slapped her hand away from a steaming vat.

"Money first."

"Edward doesn't have any money."

"Too bad for you, then."

"Awwww…. Hey, wait a second!" Ed's glum face brightened immediately, "Ed can ask Spike-person for money! SSSPPPIIKKKE!" Not hearing a reply, Ed turned away from the noodles back into the street. People chattered to each other as they walked on the pavement. A bicycle whizzed past, narrowly missing a dog nosing around in the gutter. A child tugged at his mother's skirt outside a busy restaurant, begging her to buy him an ice cream cone. Spike was nowhere to be seen. Ed's voice was small and confused.

"Spike?"

No answer.

"Where did you go?"

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

Pulling off his boots, Spike threw them over the back of the sofa and watched as Jet poured boiling water over three cups of instant noodles. Waiting for them to cook, the trio sat and looked dejectedly at each other.

"Y'know," Spike began, "These noodles could use a little chili sauce."

"Chili sauce costs money. There's some old soy stuff floating around in the back of the cold locker."

"Hmm.."

"But it expired about a year ago, I think." Spike paused in getting up, but then continued on his way.

"Guess I better go get it then."

"_This_ is what we're reduced to? Instant noodles and expired sauce?" Faye flopped back against the sofa, one hand against her forehead dramatically. "A fair beauty like me…withering away into nothing."

"It'd be one less mouth to feed." Jet grumbled. A crash followed by a series of short, loud barks came from the passageway. Shouting angrily, Spike stomped into the lounge quarters, holding Ein, the Welsh Corgi up by the collar and shaking him like a plush toy. Ein was trying to chomp whichever part of Spike he could grab a hold of with his milky white teeth.

"STUPID DOG! JET! YOUR MUTT COST ME MY SAUCE!" Jet stood and managed to rescue Ein from the crazed grasp of Spike.

"Calm down. " Ein licked Jet's face lovingly. "You'll just have to have your noodles plain." 

Spike held his head as if it were about to split in two. 

"GGGRRAAAAH! THREE THINGS I SAID THAT I DID _NOT_ WANT ON THIS FORSAKEN RUST BUCKET! PETS, WOMEN, AND…AND," Breathing heavily, Spike snatched up his noodles and began wolfing them down.

"Children…" Jet finished quietly.

Faye looked up at Jet, who was staring down at his shoes. Silently she reached across the table and swiped his meal. Obviously, he would not want to eat at a time like this, she thought slyly to herself. 

"I'm going to bed."

Spike continued to wrestle with Faye for possession of the extra food.

"Okay then. Nighty night. Don't let the bed bugs bite!"

Muttering, Jet left them trying to kill each other and opened the electronic door to his sleeping quarters. How could the bug bite? It was lost, somewhere on the dark streets of Mars.


	2. Session Two

a/n: Due to a lack of competence in the Australian educational system, I may not be able to update until late next week. We'll see how things go…-_-() 

A little shout out to:

SCREECHING DRAGON ( What _are_ you talking about? You do not have bad spelling! ^_^) &

LUNA/JESS (Thank-you!) &

TYGER-CHAN (of course. * Shrug * I like spicy food, so there! * Pokes tongue out * And why _can't_ ramen be spicy? ^_^ :P There's no law, dammit! )

VERBYOU, (Assuming you use MS Word to type your stories in, just type it normally, paragraph, and use the italic button, etc. Once you've saved the initial document, click: FILE, then, SAVE AS HTML. That'll save all of your hard work exactly the way you typed it! And posting it on FF.net won't mess it up! Hopefully…^_^() )

SENSHICHAN14 & (Dun dun dun…mysteries, they are all. Keep reading to find out!)

NAE ( Heh. Glad to see that out of the zillions of fanfics, you chose mine to read. Thanks to you, as well!)

MAELGWYN! (Good buddy from fanfics of yore. Thankies much!) &

ROSE OF OSIRIS (^_____^ Pretty name!) 

Thanks for reviewing guys. The more reviews I see, the more I feel loved, get hyper and type more story for everyone. 

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Two

Edward looked slightly bewildered as the stalls and shops in the street packed up and closed for the night. Trains carrying people home from work pulled out of the station, and the streetlights cast their greasy orange light over dark forms of buildings. Whores and their 'managers' hung around the outside of nightclubs, smoking cheap cigarettes and swilling third rate beer by the bottle.

Spike had vanished from the face of the planet, without even saying goodbye. Edward shrugged. If there were no Spike-persons to take her home, she'd just have to find someone else. Maybe that man over there, by the traffic lights, and holding a _really_ big gun?

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

Jet rolled over, smothering his face in his pillow so he wouldn't have to see the empty knotted rope hammock above his bed, in which Ed usually slept. He remembered the first night the little monster slept on board the Bebop. After issuing her with a hammock, and the command, "Just tie it anywhere it'll hold.", the crew each retired into their separate rooms. Laying awake, they could here scrabbling noises, barks from Ein, and a resounding crash which the next morning, proved to be the sofa up-turning on the coffee table and crushing the TV. Fearlessly, Ed opened Jet's door, took a flying leap at his bed, and stood on Jet's stomach and chest to reach the steel rafters overhead. Just having dozed off, then awoken rudely by a toe or three up his nostrils, Jet tried to remove the pestilence. There was stubborn indifference, begging, then tired wailing as if Ed were a two year old toddler whom Jet had poked awake in her cot. To shut her up, and to ward off a disgruntled looking Spike and Faye (plastered liberally with the latest green, gooey beauty mask) leaning against his doorframe, Jet folded like a card table. Then that night onwards, Ed insisted that she continued to stay in Jet's room, often falling out of the hammock, but now only accidentally did she land a foot in Jet's face climbing back up. 

The irritating need to breathe rolled Jet's body over again.

Without the lanky tanned limbs hanging over the side, incoherent ramblings about pudding and other deserts from above, he couldn't sleep . . . 

"Jet? Man, what hole did _you_ crawl out of this morning?" Spike paused in trying to tune in the TV, to stare at his partner in bounty hunting, disbelievingly. 

"Shut up Spike. I'm not in the freakin' mood." The ex-cop moodily stomped into the kitchen, and began to make extra strong black coffee, slamming things down and shutting cupboard doors a little harder than was necessary. Faye was lured out of her room by the smell. She yawned widely, then stretched in turn.

"Mmmm…hey, is that coffee that you're making, Jet?"

"…Yes."

"Can you pour me a cup? Thanks, you're a darling."

"No. You want coffee, you pay for and make it yourself, dammit."

"Huh? What the hell's gotten into you all of a sudden?" Jet dropped the coffee pot on the floor. Swearing enough that would make any sailor blush, he mopped up the scolding mess and stood. 

"Rrr..SEE WHAT YOU MADE ME DO?" Flinging the dishcloth into the sink, he kicked the cold locker. "Fff..DAMMIT!"

Faye was cautious as she withdrew behind the protective form of Spike.

"What's with him? It's only coffee. He can always go and buy some more." Spike had a strange look on his face.

"I don't think it's about coffee anymore." Cringing together, they held their breath as an enraged Jet hobbled as fast as he could, out of the room. With a small sigh of relief, Faye went back into the kitchen to investigate the supply of edible substances.

"You don't mean…he's upset about Ed being lost?" Spike joined her, his hands deep in his suit pockets, which he never really took off. His theory of keeping clean was to walk through the local car wash once every couple of weeks.

"Seems that way."

"But she's been on her own hundreds of times! For God's sake, she was living on _Earth_ when we found her!" 

"Yeah well, maybe he's becoming soft in his old age. Either that or he's finally reached the stage of senility…" The pair smirked at one another. 

"Hey! That's my bagel you're eating!" Spike adopted an air of wounded innocence.

"What? Me steal food from the mouths of my comrades? I would never-"

"Don't play with me, Spiegel, I _know_ you did it."

A huge grin on his face, Spike swallowed the rest of the baked good and licked his fingers.

"Ahhh…delicious." He held up a steaming mug, and pointed to it enquiringly, 

"I guess this would be your coffee, then?"

"Yes." Faye angrily held out her hand, "Give it to me." Spike wagged his finger at her.

"What's the magic word?"

The other ground her teeth together, "Now."

"Sorry, you lose!" In three monstrous gulps, Faye watched her coffee vanish from existence.

"Spike Spiegel, you disgust me."

"Thank-you."

"That wasn't a compliment."

Smiling fiendishly, Spike sauntered out, patting his appeased belly.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"Get away Kid. Go on, shoo." Ed clung to the gun toting man's trouser leg.

"Can you take Edward home? Please?" Trying to shake her off proved to be in vain. 

"How the hell should I know where you live? Now scat. Don't you know it's dangerous out on the night streets for little kids?" Huffily, Ed stood up on tiptoe and stretched her arms high above her head.

"Edward is not little! See? Hey, mister! Mwwah! You're not looking!" The man's attention was drawn away, across the pitch-black street. Following his line of sight, Edward saw another man, dappled in shadow and streetlight, with white blonde hair, tinged grey in the darkness.

Whispering hoarsely, Ed's companion said a single word, his voice barely masking his rising fear, so that it made the air tremble and hang expectantly-

__

"Vicious!"


	3. Session Three

WARNING: ALL READERS UNDER THE AGE OF…UHHH…10 YRS SHOULD…UMM…GO AND PLAY OUTSIDE IN THE SUNSHINE INSTEAD OF READING THIS. IF YOU DON'T, THEN PLEASE TELL YOUR PARENTS NOT TO SUE ME! CONTAINS POSSIBLY DISTRESSING MATERIAL…( Bweheeheehee! ^_^ Vicious-kun! ) …UHHH..YES. THAT IS ALL.

a/n: WAAAAHHHHH!!! * Phe-chan sobs uncontrollably * WHY? WHY DID SPIKE-PERSON HAVE TO DIEEEE?? WHY DID ED-CHAN GO AWAY? WHY? WHYWHYWHYWHYWHY?!!!!

*SNIFF * * regains some composure *

Yes, as you can probably tell, I have been watching the last few sessions of Bebop…_ again_. -_-()() Mwah. I really need to stop traumatizing myself so much. . . . 

Shout out time!

TYYYYY-GER CHAN! ( duh! ^_~ )

HIDDEN ANGEL1

SUKIOVIC ( Eeee! *blushes * Glad you think my little ficlet is so good…that's always nice to hear when one has had a crap day. )

BIRDIERUMIA ( Hmmm…..I think if Vicious-person was confronted by Ed, he'd probably smush her if he really, _really_ wanted to. But, as this is a G rated fic, and Ed being the star of this show, no such thing will {hopefully} happen. But who knows? This is Vicious we're talking about…)

SHENSHICHAN14 ^___^ ( Fiend? Scourge of humanity? Spawn of Satan? Are they good enough descriptions for you? )

CHERRY TOMATO

SESSION THREE

__

"Vicious!" 

"It's nice to see you can pronounce my name…" Leaving the shadow and streetlight, Vicious- as was his self given name, quietly crossed the deserted street. He stopped when his nose was two inches away from the trembling man's own.

"Who's the kid?"

"D…don't know, she followed me."

"Hnn." Vicious withdrew a pace, and gazed steadily, unblinkingly and unerringly at Ed. 

"So, what's it to be?"

"I….I…" Instinctively, the man felt the lump along his hip, where, under his overcoat, a concealed pistol was resting.

"I don't appreciate being betrayed you know… After all my people have done for you."

"I…d…don't know what you mean!" Still not looking at the man, Vicious continued.

"The gun your hiding, beneath your coat…" A gasp of surprise was the last sound the man made as a sharp steel blade pierced his chest and cut upwards, then out.

"-won't save you." Completing the sentence, vicious returned his sword to the scabbard and kicked the corpse. Ed was huddled into a small ball beside a building wall, her knees drawn up beneath her chin and eyes shut tight. Something in her mind told her to stay very small, and very quiet. She heard the heavy steps of boot shod feet passing her, pause, then fade away down the street. When she looked up, she saw her perfectly clean white shirt was now splattered finely with red droplets of the dead man's blood.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"Jet, where are _you_ going?" Spike paused in his attempt to smother Faye with a pillow on the couch and watched as Jet slid into his coat, and pulled his hat down firmly upon his head. 

"Out."

"Oh…" Faye saw an opening, and used the opportunity to land a forcible kick to Spike's underside with her high heels, which sent him sprawling, and moaning in pain on the floor. She picked up the thread of conversation.

"Anywhere special?"

"No. Just out."

"When will you be back?"

"Don't know."

"Ok then, have fun! Oh and Jet?"

"What?"

"Could you pick up a box of bagels if you're near a supermarket? Walking stomach over there, scoffed the last one."

A slamming door was all the answer she got. 

"I think you're right Spike, he's getting cranky in his old age." Apparently absent mindedly, Faye stomped on Spike's immobile body to reach the TV.

"…Pain…"

"Hmmm? Did you say something?"

"In….pain…"

"Silly me, I must be hearing things again." Smirking evilly, Faye cranked up the volume of the TV set and began channel surfing with a will. From his position on the floor, Spike glowered.

__

I'll get you yet, Faye Valentine, just see if I don't!

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~

"Sorry man, can't help you." With a sigh, Jet shoved a picture of Ed in his pocket and turned away from the ice-cream cart.

"Well, thanks anyway." For three, tedious hours, Jet had been combing the streets of Mars, searching in every place he thought she was likely to go. His efforts where futile. Downcast, he wandered up to a ramen stand. Ordering a small bowl, Jet took out the picture and looked at it one, last time. He let it fall on the counter top as he paid the vendor and accepted his meal. Curious, the vendor swiveled the picture around with his fingers and made a noise of disgust.

"Hope I never have to see that thieving little varmint again." Jet almost choked on his noodles.

"WHAT? YOU'VE SEEN THIS GIRL? THE ONE IN THE PICTURE?"

"Yeah, I've seen 'er." The man fended Jet off from strangling him with his trusty slotted spoon. "She was here yesterday afternoon, wantin' to be fed. I gotta make a living too, y'see- can't give stuff away for free." He hurried up his story when he saw Jet loosening his gun from its shoulder holster.

"Anyway, she didn't have any money, so she walked off. Last I saw, she was talking to a big, burly lookin' guy, hanging around on the street corner. Packing a lot of heat, he was."

"DAMMIT!" Slamming his fist down on the counter, Jet pushed the ceramic bowl into the vendor's hands and ran off into the crowd, scattering people left and right.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

A/n 2: Hmmmm! What will happen? Sorry if this session was a little short, but- necessity draws me away to other things. Big thanks to everyone for reviewing, and especially those who put me on their favs list.

^___________________________^ ARIGATO! * Phe skips away, showering readers with sugar from a paper sack. *


	4. Session Four

Shout out time!

Jan Lee

Senshichan 14 (Here! *grins * Have more sugar! * Phe dumps a semi-trailer load of sugar on top of Senshichan * ^______________^ )

Randall Flagg 2 (It wouldn't be much of an Ed story if I _killed_ her, now would it? * Hides behind her muse* If you must whip someone, whip this dolt. Muse (Tarka) : HEY!! )

Jahayme

The amazing Tyger-chan and her muse, as always. * GLOMPS * I LOVE YOU GUYS! ^________^ And is this enough blood to satisfy your lust, Tyger-chan? Read on, please. ^_^

Maelgwyn-person and evil CW! ( ^_____________________^ YAY! Thanks you two!! * Big hug* Opps…*Phe looks at the oddly squished pair * Eh..eh…Sorry…^_^() )

CHERRY TOMATO

SESSION FOUR

A pool of deep red- almost black blood soaked rapidly into the white concrete pavement surrounding the place where the corpse lay. Street scavengers had visited during the night, stripping the body of its weapons and clothes- anything that could be put to use or sold. Nothing went to waste on Mars. Ed watched with an alarmed sense of curiosity, as the last scruffy street urchin made off with a gold wristwatch, his hands stained red with his frantic searching. Ed was left alone, with only the stiffening body for company. She needed to go, go anywhere. Crawl away if her legs wouldn't carry her. With a sniff, she managed to stand, using the cracks in the building bricks to help her up. Sirens could be heard whirring and drawing in closer from the east. Not trusting the dark alleys and backways, Ed fled like a frightened rabbit down the main road, sticking to the lit areas as much as possible. Running and tearing the soles of her feet on the rough asphalt surface as she went. 

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

What is a woman's weakness? Spike Spiegel pondered the old age mystery with a grim look that would send any normal person reaching for a baseball bat.

Coffee? No…Her clothes? _Tch_. What clothes? Faye barely wore any as it was. Spike's mind was drawing up a mental blank. Numbly, he switched on the TV, and began the vegetation process of watching Big Shots, the TV show for bounty hunters. The harsh light reflecting off sequins and incessant flirtatious giggling connected synapses in Spikes' brain. _Appearance!_ The key to Faye Valentine's downfall. Arching his fingers together, the evil, but stylishly dressed villain smugly reclined leisurely on the couch.

Meanwhile, the object of Spike's attentions was drawing the hot water for her daily bath. Pulling off her headband, Faye rumpled her hair, smiled and hummed a little tune she picked up from the radio, as she searched the cabinets for her hairbrush. Pausing, she looked over her shoulder, back at the bathroom door. 

"That's weird, I thought I heard something…oh well." Loosening her red suspenders, Faye discarded her jacket on the floor, and dismissed the scrabbling noise at the door as Ein. Ah Faye, you poor, poor girl.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~

"Rrrr! Feck, no sign." Standing on the busy street corner, Jet Black took off his hat, wiped his brow then replaced it. People were walking in all directions on their way to morning work. Slumping against a convenient signpost, Jet looked down at the ground, hoping to gain some sort of insight. He was about to look away again, when there! In between highly polished black leather shoes, scurrying about every which way, was a suspiciously large dark ring, staining the concrete. The people around him seemed oblivious or else chose to ignore it. What had made that mark? Blood? The thought of such a thing made Jet slightly queasy. If it was blood, then what…or rather, _who_ had made it? Clutching the signpost, Jet closed his eyes and let the early morning warm his face. Please, Edward. Be alive! For me?

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"MWAH! EDWARD WANTS TO GO HOME! NOW!" Tired, footsore, and close to tears, Ed stopped outside a brilliantly lit diner window. Tired looking people inhaled deeply of their beverage vapors, and set to work eating formidable mountains of greasy food piled high on small, white china plates. Friendly waitresses, who seemed to know everybody bustled from the counter to the customers, stumps of pencils held in hand with notepads, and always ready to listen with a sympathetic ear to a tale of woe. Ed pressed her nose and hands against the glass, imagining herself eating the toasted cheese sandwich that a boy closest to her was happily munching. Feeling himself being watched, the boy glanced at the drooling, red haired girl (slobbering considerably on the window) , gave a terrified squeak and dived under the booth's table. 

Her line of sight freed from the obstruction of sandwich boy, a waitress caught sight of our starving young waif. With a few hushed words from her colleagues, she marched outside, took Ed by the hand and bringing her back in, sat her down in the best seat at the counter.

"HEY! That's my darn seat-" A man so large that he might as well be the center of his own solar system swung the glass doors open. The young, twenty-something waitress who had rescued Ed put her hands on her hips, and glared dangerously.

"You don't own this diner Joe. Go and sit somewhere else for tonight."

"But, I always-" 

"For Heaven's sake! Just _go_. I'll get Izzy to bring you your usual in a second, ok?" With a few mumbled protests, 'Joe' shambled towards the back of the warm, cozy room.

Ed pressed a laminated menu lovingly to her face. The waitress forgot her irritable mood and smiled a smile with such warmth, that it rivaled that of the gas fire heater in the corner.

"What will you have, honey?" Ed threw her arms up into the air and shouted in delight,

"FOOD!"

Laughing, the waitress waited for her to calm down.

"Silly, I know _that_, but what _kind_ of food?"

"Hmmmm…" This was proving a difficult task for Ed. No matter. Time to take the random approach!

"I'll have… this, and this, and this and this and this!" She pointed to each thing on the menu.

"Ok, if you're sure… how are you going to pay for this?" Ed's jaw dropped and her limbs went limp

"Ed has no money!! Again! Ed is sorrrr-rrrrry!" Her bottom lip trembled and tears welled in her bright orange eyes. A child in distress was just too much for the waitress to bear. Patting Ed's head, she soothed her effectively.

"Don't worry, of course you don't have to pay if you don't have any money. Sssh. There , there, now. It's alright. You're among friends here! Now, what did you want with your pancakes?" Adoringly, Ed gazed at the young lady with long dark hair, tied back in elf fashion.

"THANK-YOU, MISS- uhhh…MS…umm. Ed is sorry, she never learnt nice lady's name." 

Beaming, the waitress poured a glass of apple juice and pushed it across to Ed.

"It's Miss Dragon, actually. But don't worry about formalities, you can just call me Snap. Like what my name tag says."

"Ohhh…Ed wants a name tag!" 

"Heh heh, I'm sure we can find something for you!"

"YAY!"

Laughing, talking, and eating alternatively, the pair whiled away the night hours. With her own nametag, and a lent apron, Ed became the Official Assistant Helper Person to Snap. For the moment, her troubles were forgotten.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 


	5. Session Five

Shout outs:

Tyger-chan

wyndsong

Jahayme

Randall Flagg2 (Bagpipes have no effect on me- my grandfather is Scottish…try again! ;) ) 

Again, thanks to all for reviewing. If you didn't, I wouldn't have the interest to continue writing.

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Five

"Mmm … this has to be my most favourite time of the day." Faye poured a large amount of rose geranium scented bubble bath into the running water. Screwing the cap of the glass bottle back on, she placed it on the floor, and began kicking off her high-heeled boots.

The lighter of Spike's two-toned eyes was pressed against the keyhole in the door. What he was doing wasn't wrong, was it? A little bit? Sort of? Oh alright! It was disgustingly, disturbingly, utterly, and totally wrong. But did he care? No. Was he slightly turned on by the sight of his arch nemesis undressing? Maybe…ask again in a few minutes.

"Grrr…"

"Ssshhh! Dammit, Ein! Get away from my foot!"

Faye paused in scrubbing a leg.

"Huh?"

The master plan, the 'evil cookie' analogy, if you will- was crumbling quickly.

"OUCH! Rrrr! I'm going to kill you, Mutt!" There was a sliding noise, and a wave of warm, steamy air hit Spike's face. The jig was up.

"Heh…eh…crap."

With one eye twitching, Faye Valentine tightened the cord of her bathrobe.

"Looking for something?"

"Uhh…" _Think! Think fast or you're a dead man!_ "The keys to my ship… I…think I left them in the bathroom."

"Spike Spiegel," Mist curled around Faye's ankles, where Spike was fearfully groveling, "You…you are… A SICK PEVERTED FREAK! DIEEE!" Poor Faye never again took a bubble bath. The sweet smelling glass bottle shattered on impact with Spike's head. As the bathroom door slammed shut, and Spike slid painfully down the corridor wall, he made an observation.

"That woman… is Satan in bunny slippers."

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"Uh, sir? Are you alright? You've been standing there for almost half the day." Jet slowly opened one eye, then the other.

"Hnn? Cadogen Doran? Is that you?" The young traffic cop blinked.

"Jet?" He sounded unsure, "Jet Black? From the Second Detective Unit?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Whoa. Long time, no see buddy." Cadogen tilted his cap upwards and clapped a friendly hand on Jet's back. "What brings you out to these neck of the woods?"

"…I don't know how to explain it in a way that would make sense, Cad." There was an awkward silence between them.

"Well, I get off my shift in a couple of minutes. Why don't we talk about it over a cup of coffee? I know a place."

Jet buried his hands in his trouser pockets and scuffed the ground with his boot.

"Thanks, that would be real nice."

~:+: ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

A well-fed and bathed Edward held her hands up above her head, and allowed Snap to pull a volumous blue tee shirt over her skinny body. They were in the apartment directly about the diner, which Snap rented pretty cheap from the owner.

"YAY! Tee shirt! Tee shirt!" Ed jumped all over the sofa bed in her delight. Snap threw a pillow, which knocked her flat.

"Enough of that, Ed-chan. You'll wake the entire neighborhood with that racket." Edward's sunny face looked as though it could melt a polar ice cap.

"Ok, Ed will…will…go to…" With a sloppily thrown salute, she fell like a cut tree onto the mattress. Snap came over and pulled the covers over her fondly.

"Sleep…" Ed snuggled, safe and warm into the pillow.

"Yeah, kiddo, you do that. Maybe tomorrow, we'll find out where you came from." _And why your clothes were covered in blood._

Morning light filtered through the vinyl blinds of the apartment window. Somehow, Ed had ended up as a blanket covered lump on the floor. The lump shed its blanket cocoon and blinked sleepily.

"Snap-Snap-person?" Ed stood up. "Where are you?" She wandered over to the breakfast counter and discovered a white piece of paper, with funny looking words scrawled across it.

__

Good morning, Edward!

Sorry I'm not here, but I had to open the shop early. After you get dressed, come downstairs, and we'll get you some breakfast. Bacon and eggs sound good?

~Snap.

Ed threw her clothes off and changed in lightning speed. Following her abnormally sensitive nose, she crashed down the stairs three at a time and skidded to a halt in front of Snap.

"BREAKFAST!"

Laughing, Snap sat her down in a booth and handed her a plate. 

"Yes, yes. Breakfast. Don't eat it too fast though, it's hot." Ed didn't seem to hear her as she began wolfing down the food, making small, chirping noises of enjoyment now and then. When she finished, she took her plate over to the counter and hugged Snap tightly around her stocking clad legs.

"THANK-YOU!" The older woman smiled. 

"Would you like to stay around a while longer? I could use your help today- you're a great waitress!" Ed absorbed the complements like a sponge, and was eager for more.

"OKAY!" On went the apron. Notebook and pencil went in the apron pocket. Face was scrubbed clean…kinda. The happiest waitress in the known world fell about her work. 

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

Jet Black breathed deeply of the warm, friendly aromas drifting around his head. Cadogen slid into the seat opposite him and rustled a newspaper he'd picked up from a corner store. Jet watched him with an amused interest. The youngster always was one to keep up to date with things.

"What'll you guys take, so early in the morning?" A waitress bore down upon them with a pair of menus.

"Ah Snap, apple of my eye, and darling of my heart- two black coffees if you would be so kind?" Snap blushed and clipped Cadogen over the head good naturedly with her notepad. 

"You, Master Doran, are getting too cocky for your own good."

"Don't be gone long, or I'll pine and waste away!" Cadogen's handsome features were crinkled in a grin.

Snap called over her shoulder,

"In that case, I'll take my time!" Jet laughed.

"I see you're still a heartbreaker?"

The other man placed his cap beside him and let his long dark fringe fall into his eyes.

"What can I say? They can't keep away from me."

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"Ed, honey?" Snap carefully poured hot water over two mugs containing ground coffee beans. "When you're done wiping down that counter, do you think you could take this tray over to booth number three?"

"Okey dokey, Snap-Snap!" Snap ruffled her hair.

"Thanks. But please be careful, okay? I'd hate for you to be burnt."

"Yes sir! Will be careful, sir!" Ed took the tray from the older woman and walked away, balancing it carefully.

"Booth number one! Number two…ah! Here we are, booth number three!" With an elegant leg, Ed presented the two steaming mugs to the booth's occupants. 

Cadogen accepted his coffee gratefully.

"Jet? What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost!" It was true. Jet's face had turned a nasty grey colour. His mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water. Ed looked up, a surprised smile on her face.

"Oh! Hi, Jet-person!" She was never given the chance to say anything else. Jet had passed out with a considerable _crash_ on the floor.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

a/n 2: Please note that this is not the end of CT. There will be more sessions- I still have a lot of ground to cover regarding other aspects of this story. ^_^ So please, put away your torches and pitchforks and start reviewing!


	6. Session Six

Shout outs:

Tyger-chan

birdychick

Senshichan14

Brigidforest

Randall Flagg2 ( I'll think about the suggestion…)

SDKitsune (MWAH! You put me in your favs? ARIGATO! ^______^ )

Ancient Zoidian

Jahayme

Good Gravy! ~8~ Reviews for ONE session? Now you people have no more excuses for not reviewing. Tell people about this fic! Tie down family members, friends, and yes- even household pets (but not goldfish for obvious reasons- they deserve to live as much as the next guy) in front of the computer screen and MAKE them read this!!! ^______________________________^ MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

^________________________________~() Ehehehe…can you tell I've eaten a cookie overloaded with chocolate chips? ^_~ The sugar has gone to my brain.

*Phe skips off with the whole box of cookies, bashing people flat who get in her way *

La la la la la….

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Six

(Or The Incredibly LONG Session)

"JET? JET? SPEAK TO ME!!" Cadogen Doran had dragged Jet out into the diner aisle and used his rolled up jacket as a pillow for Jet's bruised, bald head. Snap hurried to the scene of hysteria with a pitcher of cold water. Cadogen looked up at her from the floor pleadingly.

"I don't have to give him… CPR, do I? I mean I like Jet- but there's a certain 'line'-" Snap shot him a look that kept his trap shut.

"Don't worry. I've done this plenty of times when Joe passes out on the floor from too much liquor. Hold his shoulders down, will you, Cad? This is going to be somewhat of a shock…" With an amused smile, Snap emptied the entire contents of the pitcher on Jet's head. The once unconscious lump of sinew sat bolt upright, completely disregarding Cadogen's hold on him and sending him flying across the room.

"Sorry maam…won't happen again." The young traffic cop winced as he wiped scrambled eggs and maple syrup off his face, grimacing as it splattered on the floor. "Enjoy your meal!"

Jet was in a daze.

"Ed? Did I just see Ed?" To himself he muttered, "Maybe I'm hallucinating again…damn mushrooms…" Edward, at this point- was standing quietly to one side, watching Jet-person with wide, amber eyes, and her toes wriggling every so often. Since she did not have a tail as cats do, and since their hindquarters wriggle and twitch before they make a fantastic spring into the air, this was her equivalent. And spring she did. Right upon Jet's chest.

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Ed copied her father figure, then licked his cheek experimentally. Jet held her at an arm's length.

"What are you doing?!"

"Seeing if you still taste the same, Jet-person!" Ed grinned and then looked thoughtfully at him, "Yep, still taste of old coffee, cigarette smoke and stir fry sauce! Mmmm." Ed broke through Jet's grip and hugged him tight around his ample middle. Jet made no attempt to stop her. For five minutes, they sat like that on the diner floor, each reassured by the warmth and solidity of one another's presence. Jet smelt her hair. Odd. It was actually _clean_ and flower smelling. Cadogen sniggered. Embarrassed, Jet coughed, and stood up, swinging Ed up high so she could sit perched on top of his shoulders.

"Snap-Snap! This is Jet-person!"

Snap Dragon raised an eyebrow,

"Oh…are you her father?"

"Umm…not exactly..no.."

"Well, what then?"

Ed pulled Jet's beard. This once, he let it slide.

"Caretaker?"

Snap gazed at him skeptically, then seemed contented.

"Well, Jet- I assume you do _have_ a last name?"

"Uhhh…" Cadogen stepped in heroically.

"Black. Jet Black. Scourge of our inter- planetary law breakers."

"You're a…._cowboy?_"

Jet seemed uncomfortable at the sudden change of tone in her voice. 

"Is that a problem?"

"No, it's just…well, to be honest, I thought cowboys were supposed to be younger…" Jet looked horrified.

"AND," Cadogen suddenly piped up, "Not only that, but they're supposed to be extremely buff, good looking-" His hazel eyes were wicked, "What happened to you, then Jet? Too much time spent behind the wheel of the ship than in the field? Too much-"

"THANK-YOU, Officer Doran. That will be quite enough." Jet glared venomously at Cad, who pretended not to notice, suddenly absorbed in a crack in the ceiling plaster.

Snap ushered them all back to the booth, and brushed the creases out of her dress.

"Well, Jet. Seeing as you're already here, why don't you stick around for a little bit longer? I'm sure you and Edward have a lot of explaining to do to each other. There are a few things I'd like to know as well…"

"Uhh…sure. I'd be happy to." Jet tried to put Ed down on the seat next to him, but she wasn't having any of it. She howled and wailed and clung with her all her might to Jet's head like a spider monkey. In the end, he gave up in exhaustion and rolled his eyes at Cad.

Lazily, the other officer stretched out his legs and grinned roguishly,

"Snap, darling?"

"What?"

"Would it be too much to ask for another pot of coffee…err…free? I've kinda…run out of money."

Snap sighed as if this happened all too often.

"Were you any other man right now, Cadogen Doran, and you would be out on your ear like _this._" She snapped her fingers together.

"Ahh, but I'm _not_ just 'any other man', now am I, sweetheart?"

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"Stupid male…must have been dropped at birth. Either that or he was raised in a whore house…" Faye Valentine was taking some nice, quiet, time out inside her small, immobile space ship. It was the only place she could think of that Spike did not have keys to. Even if he did find her, he couldn't get in. She hoped.

With Faye, there was her secret supply of sixteen year old, single malt whiskey- which she kept in a plastic squeeze top bottle. Apart from that, in a battered blue tin, there was a vast array of imported sugar cookies, even though Christmas was still some months away. Faye's logic was that after being frozen for fifty years or so, until medical technology advanced enough to thaw her out and cure her of her injuries, she was entitled to catch up on all the benefits of Christmas celebrations she missed out on. For example: booze and sugar. Finally when the whiskey caused her to relax a little, she switched on the radio and leaned back in her chair. Spike Spiegel didn't deserve the thoughts of a fatal beauty such as herself. 

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"Incriminating evidence. Must find incriminating evidence." Spike knew exactly where Faye was. All thanks to the help of a microscopic tracking device that he had attached to the sole of her boot. Heh heh heh. What…the? He paused in the middle of rummaging through her personal things to hold up some weird alien piece of clothing. Maybe it was from back in the 'old days'. Spike put the small, black thing in his pocket and went back to work. He'd go and ask Faye about it after she had sobered up from her drinky drinky session. Nothing else particularly interesting was found. A couple of old lottery tickets, some skimpy clothes scattered around the place, and her antique liquor cabinet, which was regretfully locked and double bolted. Damn alcoholic. Too mean to share.

"Hel-lo? What's this?" Spike picked up a small bottle with white pills inside it beside the bed.

"Mmm…Tic Tacs!" Without hesitation, he spilled out a large amount onto his palm and threw them into his mouth.

"Ahhh…minty fresh." Whistling, he clumsily arranged things the way they were and tiptoed out.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

Faye was thirsty. She cursed herself again and again for not remembering that drinking dehydrates you. With a little pang of sadness, she put the plastic whisky bottle back in the overhead compartment where sunglasses were meant to be kept. The blue biscuit tin went under the driver's seat, behind the steering wheel lock. Thieving fingers had not found it….yet. With a labored groan, she opened the door and dropped to the floor. Making sure that everything was locked, and in order, she staggered out of the hanger and into the Bebop's living quarters. Taking a water capsule from the cold locker, she broke it into a mug and added some ice. Nothing better for sobering up than like half freezing your gullet.

"Faaaye?" The male voice was sly, and too self-assured. Faye spun around to face Spike, "What's this?"

She nearly choked on her water. In fact, she did, and it took her several minutes to stop spluttering and coughing.

"Well? I'm waiting for an answer." Faye turned beet red.

"You mean…you don't _know_?" She whispered.

"If I _knew_, then I wouldn't be asking, now would I?" Spike was irritable and slightly disturbed. Things weren't going the way as planned, and he definitely did not like being kept in the dark.

"Of course but…" Faye recovered from her initial embarrassment and sniggered, "I can't believe you don't know."

"We've been through this already!" Spike snapped.

"Okay. Don't panic. I think I still have that really old DVD I had to show to Ed a while back…" Faye made her way out into the living room, and Spike followed her.

"What? You two got to watch DVDS? How come I wasn't included?" 

"Because," Faye found the disc, took it out of its case, and inserted it into the player, "It was a girls only kind of thing. But if you don't know…and I mean, know _anything_, than I think you had better watch this. For your own good." Spike plopped down on the couch,

"Okay, but I don't see how watching a movie is going to help me to understand what this is…" He held up the black cloth object.

Faye pounced, "Give that to me!"

Spike fended her off. "Nuh uh."

The first, snowy frame on the TV screen interrupted them: ' WHAT'S HAPPENING TO ME? - YOU AND YOUR BODY.'

Spike watched wide eyed, transfixed- for a whole 90 minutes. Faye's eyes were glued to his face- smugly waiting to see what his reaction would be.

"So…"

"So?"

"This thing is a bra, huh?"

"Yes. _My_ bra, and I would like it back." Faye was hoping that he'd fling it away in disgust.

"And it's uhh…"

"Yes, Spike- I do use it. It _has_ touched my skin."

"Hmm…" Spike looked at the black thing thoughtfully, and then stood up, "In that case…" he inched towards the door, "I think I'll…KEEP IT! BWAHAHAHA!" With a giant leap, he sprang away. Faye was up and after him in a flash.

"DAMN YOU, SPIEGEL!" She rubbed her forehead. She was too hung over for this.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

God made peasants to be expendable. Easily replaced by another, more obedient and loyal. Vicious felt justified by those statements as he ordered the execution of three Syndicate members by battering with canes, and then when they had no more fight left in them, firing squad in the stone paved courtyard below his sleeping quarters on Mars. If members of the Syndicate were allowed to think it was all right to be led astray, they were sadly mistaken. It was best to crush any independent thinking while it was still young, and prevent an uprising in the ranks. If his hordes turned on him, none of Vicious' cunning, ruthlessness or deal making skills would save him. Fear was what he used to his advantage. And he intended to keep all the best cards in his deck.

Crossing the bedroom to the window, his bare feet sank into the expensive pelt of a real polar bear, even though the last one had died in captivity some forty years ago. The bear from the North was supposed to be a smart creature…obviously not that smart if it ended up as a rug. Throwing open the windows, he heard the last shots from the execution below, as they faded away into the night. He did not need to look below- he already knew what he would find there. The first night visitor of many- a coal-black crow swooped into the room and gracefully perched on Vicious' cast iron bed frame. It cawed softly and rumpled its dull feathers. Vicious liked crows. They followed his line of thinking and had the same cold, merciless eyes. This particular crow had electric blue irises, strange in such a common bird.

Withdrawing from the window frame, Vicious stroked its soft head feathers. The crow responded by leaning into his touch. Vicious smiled thinly. Crows were the only things living that seemed to enjoy his company.


	7. Session Seven

a/n: Just a note to let everybody know: At one point, I am writing this session half delirious with a fever or cold of some sort. I can only find one of my slippers, where the other has disappeared to? I do not know. Maybe the cat has taken a liking to soft fluffy things and dragged it away to his lair- if indeed he has such a thing. Okay, enough mindless rambling. This was originally just to tell you why- if it occurs, the session may be disjointed in places. My apologies, and I'll try to go over it again when I feel the room has stopped caving in on me. For the sake of my readers, I shall doggedly continue. Wish me luck. I think I'll need it. X______X

~Phe-chan.

shout outs:

Tyger-chan (Thanks for all the hugs when I was sick- even though you ran the risk of getting sick yourself. *GLOMP* ^________________________^ ) PS. This session is over 3000 words! So there! :P

Urazz

Ancient Zoidian

& sweet-garbonzo. 

Thank you, all. You flatter me with your stunningly lovely reviews. ^____^

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Seven

"Ed, what on Earth possessed you to take off from Spike when you both went into town to get fuel? Ed had released her clingy hold on Jet's head, and slid onto his lap. Jet had his mechanical arm around her, to keep the little brat from fingering the plate of pastries Snap had placed on the table. At least, that's the excuse he told himself… the truth of the matter was, that…he _enjoyed_ hugging her. Ed looked at him upside down.

"Edward saw someone she knew!"

"Hmmm? Is that so…who was it?"

"Her father-person!" Coffee was sprayed all over the table.

"Father? That _thing_ has a human father?" Cadogen yelped as a stinging blow from Snap's wet dishcloth connected with his head.

Edward gasped, "Jet-person…you're squishing Ed!" Unconsciously, Jet's arm had tightened around the girl's middle, right about the time his heart had fallen straight through into his stomach- slowly being digested away. He came out of his daze and swallowed a lump in his throat.

"You said your father, Ed? You really saw him?"

"Uh-huh!" Jet let her wriggle onto the seat next to him.

"Was he with anyone?" Edward's face fell, and the usual bright happiness that graced her young face was replaced with anger and bitterness.

"Two men from the Syndicate…" She listened to the gasps and sharp intake of breath around the table before continuing.

"…marked with a black crow feather on the back panel of their coats. They were dragging Ed's papa away. He was hurt- bleeding. Ed… could smell the blood. So much blood…"

Snap stroked her hair softly.

"It's okay, sweetheart. We'll find him. I'm sure he's fine." Ed allowed herself to be comforted.

"He was going to visit Ed next week. Will he still come, won't he, Snap? Cad?" The adults exchanged dark looks, and Ed pulled at Jet's shirt softly, "Jet?"

"Hmm?"

"Ed's papa will come to see her?" 

Jet's innards felt as though they'd been whizzed around in a blender, then frozen in ice cube trays.

"…." The look on his face was enough. Ed slid under the table and hugged Snap's leg.

"Was that entirely _necessary?_" Snap hissed like a mother duck protecting her duckling. "Look what you've done, Jet Black!"

"I can't lie to her…" Jet's eye's were grey and the corners of his mouth tugged downwards. "Even If I wanted to….if Edward's father is with the men she described, and remember- she has _very_ sharp eyes, then there's a good chance he may already be dead."

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

The dawn of a new day broke noisily, with a flock of annoying, cheeping birds perched right next to the air vents on the roof of the Bebop. Faye had emerged from her recent battle with Spike tired. Tired, hung-over and bra-less. She decided to stop caring about the whole situation when Spike locked himself in his room, giggling like a schoolboy, and Faye tripped over Ein in the dark, heavily bruising both of her knees. Now she hobbled into the lounge room, collapsing on the couch to gather some much needed energy for the long trek to the kitchen, and her breakfast. Hot, crispy hash browns, warm, buttery toast and a stack of pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Thinking about food after she had barely eaten for the past day, made her mouth drool. The sun streaming in from the window facing the North was warm and pleasant. Maybe the kitchen wasn't so far away after all, even if her knees were busted. Hey, if there was any kind of fried food involved, she would swim up a pirhana invested river to get it. Faye tried getting up- So far, so good. Leaning on the couch armrest for support, she tried one step, then, experimentally- the other.

"Hi Faye!" _CRASH!_ Okay, a lesson learnt. Any kind of optimism is a bad thing…never again would she attempt to be a nice, cheerful morning person.

"_Oww._" From her position, face down in the carpet, Faye's voice was irritable and muffled.

"Have a nice trip?" Spike chuckled and tapped her with his foot.

"Leave me alone."

"Oh come on, you big baby! Suck it in! You're not still mad about last night, are you?"

"No. I honestly don't care."

Spike knelt down next to her, "Then what's the problem? You're not your normal self today- you haven't even tried to take a swing at me."

"I _said_ to _leave_ me alone!"

Spike poked her, "Are you sure you're okay? …It's not like I really care or anything…but…uhh…you seem to be….not moving."

"Congratulations, Sherlock. Would you like a nice shiny medal?" 

"Well, the cynicism's there, but where's the heart behind it?" The tall bounty hunter leaned in closer, "Are you hurt?"

"….No." Faye wished she could push him, or kick him, or at least crawl out of the room by herself. She hated to consider the thought that someone might think her weak. 

"Okay then. Mmmm…I think I might fry up the rest of those hash browns in the freezer…they'd sure put a dent in the ol' hunger pangs." Spike hadn't even bothered to stand- he listened hard, and he was rewarded. Faye gave a tiny, barely audible sniffle. Spike's eyes widened.

"You _are_ hurt, aren't you?"

Faye's reply was muttered. "Yes."

"Where?"

"…My knees. It hurts to walk."

"Hmmm…alright. A temporary truce. Until you can walk five meters unaided, I'm calling a halt to our battles that are our intertwining lives. Agreed?"

"…Yeah, whatever."

Spike smirked, "Excellent. Now, let breakfast commence!" In one fluid motion, he scooped Faye up in his arms and carried her towards the kitchen. Faye was alarmed, for more reasons than one. She thought Spike was an avid gym-enthusiast. Why, then, did he feel- _squishy?_

"What's gotten into _you_ all of a sudden?"

The man deposited her in a chair and turned towards the stove.

"A cat as no scratch if it's a half starved, beaten stray. Don't you think?" Faye managed to pull her chair in closer to the table.

"Yeah…I guess so…but…" The milk she was pouring into a glass missed it entirely and went spilling all over the cloth table covering, and onto the floor below, making glassy, white pools. 

"Spike?…"

"Hmmm?" Faye pointed to his open shirt.

"What the _hell_ are those?"

"What do you mean?"

"Those!" Faye averted her eyes and continued to point blindly. Spike looked down.

"…_Holy crap!_" His voice was a strained whisper. No small wonder, either. Spike Spiegel was now the proud owner of a fabulous new pair of breasts. "I guess those things weren't Tic Tacs after all…" 

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

Deep beneath the paved streets of Mars, further into the Earth's crust than even the sewer system, there was a dark, dank, cavern. Chained to one of the many iron rings set in the rock wall, was a man, slumped over in an exhausted way, with his limbs splayed out at odd angles. That was the way he had landed when they threw him down on the floor. How long ago was that, now? The man couldn't remember. The only way he could tell if he was alive was the constant, numb pain- stemming from a sizeable gash behind his left ear, to move swiftly down his neck and spine. It was a struggle to take a small rattling breath- it felt like his chest was being squeezed together like a concertina. Above a ledge in the opposite wall, there was heavy oak door. When this was seldom opened, it looked like light streaming down from heaven, with angels coming to rescue him from his misery. Well- at least it _did_ look like that - until the 'angels' turned their faces to the light, and he could faintly discern the straggly beards on their faces, interwoven with deep scars and a black crow feather on the back of their coats. After that, the vision fell apart, and he was jolted violently back to reality, in the cold, dark, space- with the sound of a slamming door and cruel laughter ringing in his ears.

Not a single person was there to witness the man's twisted mask of pain and despair on his face. No one was there to kneel next to him, to reach out, and stop the cracked, bleeding lips from moving constantly, never a sound passing between them. Water trickled from a fissure in the cavern ceiling to drip steadily into a pool in the floor's damp- uneven surface. For the first time in his life- he was alone. 

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

Cad slid out of the booth seat and stood up. 

"Well what are you waiting for? We have to go and help Edward's father!" He folded his hands against his chest. "Snap?" She pointed at Jet, indicating it was Jet's decision.

"Jet? JET BLACK!" Jet stirred slightly, he had been staring dejectedly at the salt shaker on the table.

"What?"

"Didn't you hear a single _thing_ I said?"

"Yeah…I heard you. Just pipe down. I think people three blocks away heard as well."

"So? What's the answer?"

Jet gazed at him levelly. "No."

"I get it…you're just to cowardly to help someone in trouble. You'd just leave him to rot away in some dungeon for the rest of his natural life- that's if he still even has one! You disgust me, Jet."

Something snapped.

"DO NOT PRESUME TO JUDGE MY CHARACTER, CADOGEN DORAN! YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT ME!" Jet leapt up and roared loudly, smashing the table with both fists clenched, in a sudden flare of anger. Reaching out, he grabbed Cad's shirt collar and shook him slightly.

"Jet- please, calm down." Snap had stood and gently placed a hand on his back. The detective was deaf to her words. He continued to grip Cad, his voice hoarse.

"You want one of these, is that it?" Jet wriggled his mechanical fingers in front of Cad's nose.

"What are you talking about?!"

"Where do you think I got this, huh? Tell me!"

"Jet- let go of me!"

"TELL ME!"

Cad struggled feebley, and took a wild guess at the answer Jet wanted to hear, "The…Syndicate?"

"That's right…I lost more than my arm that day…" Jet released him with a shove. "Everything I thought I knew was wrong. Everything.  I got what I have today by keeping _away_ from those sick freaks, and no one is going to take that away from me- not you, Snap, or some corpse lying in the bottom of a pit. Edward! Come, we're leaving." Ed crawled out from underneath the table and held Jet's hand, looking back at her two friends sadly as she was pulled out of the door and into the street. Cad held Snap tight when her eyes began to get wet. 

"Shhhh. It's alright, love. We won't let them get away that easily."

"But…_how_?" By the time we find them…Cad, they may simply leave the planet!"

Cadogen smirked. "Darling, I'm not just a traffic cop for the sharp threads- even though it _does _highlight my incredibly handsome figure- no, don't worry so much. I have 'connections' that'll keep our friends sitting tight where they are, until we find them, and talk them round."

Snap leant back into his chest, "I hope you're right, Cad. I really hope you are."

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"WHAT?!" Birds flew from the Bebop, screaming and reeling into the sky. Faye and Spike were surprisingly for this hour of the morning, outside- talking to a person other than themselves or Ein, if Welsh Corgies can be considered people. In three states, they legally are. There have been cases of billionaire widows leaving their entire fortunes and estates to the damn little mutts- ahh, I mean…noble breed of canine. 

"Look, I told ya, I'm just doing my job." A greasy, over weight and overall wearing man dropped several components of the Bebop's engine into a cloth bag, and tightened the string. 

"But we haven't broken the law!" Faye was exasperated, clutching her head. "Do you want to see our parking papers? They're inside, I'll just go and grab them." The man held up his hand to stop her.

"No good. I've been told that your parking time in this area has expired, so I'm ahh…'required', as it were- to disable your ship from takin' off 'till the towing lads can impound it."

"This is not happening, this is not happening…Faye, tell me this isn't happening?"

"It is." Huffily, she snatched the towing notice from the man. "I don't understand it though- I thought Jet had the right dates and times on those papers- I even remember him showing them to me, before we landed and he took off- to God knows where."

"Have a nice day, _ladies_." Sniggering, the guy strolled back to his truck.

"_Lady?_ Who the heck was he calling a lady?"

"You, moron."

"But- ohh…yeah. That thing."

"Yes. Well- come and help me inside. I need some painkillers, and in the meantime, you need a bra….or something."

Spike ducked his head under one of Faye's arms and half supported, half dragged her back into the ship.

"I resent that!"

"Honey, trust me- you don't want to be out on the streets, bouncing around in a loose cotton shirt. For once in your life, listen to someone other than yourself."

The man was amused.

"Are you actually giving me the concerned advice of a friend, Faye Valentine?" Faye made a face as she was lowered back down on the couch.

"Hardly. I just don' t want to have the ugly freak police to dump you on my door mat at three o 'clock in the morning. You're lucky enough that the plain ugly cops haven't picked you up yet." Spike placed a painkiller tablet and a glass of water on the little coffee table beside the couch.

"That's my girl."

"Huh?"

"Glad to see that you're feeling better. I was starting to miss the emotionally scarring comments about my appearance."

Spike left the room whistling, a broad expression of satisfaction plastered over his face. Faye stared at the bottom of her empty glass. Nothing made sense. If Spike began to take some interest in her well being, ( which she presumed could be attributed to the unknown factor of his newly developed feminine physique ), what would be next? Would he take up floral arranging? Preside over girl scout meetings? Bake cookies? Faye tapped the glass with her fingernails and gave in to an inward shudder. 

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

The night passed, spent in pleasant company. Of the flock of crows that had roosted in Vicious' room, only one remained in the dawn. The blue eyed marvel of nature. Vicious tickled it under it's beak with a finger as he sought to pull on some clothes from his bedside set of drawers. When he was all done, Vicious opened the window as wide as he could and turned back to the crow, indicating that it could leave. The bird gave a clipped response in it's own language, and swooped haughtily out. Vicious didn't worry about it. Every morning, the bird threw a tantrum- but it always turned up again in the evening. There were other things on Vicious' mind that day. Pushing the hungry feeling out of his stomach, he stepped into his shoes and slipped out the door, making his way down endless flights of stone steps. The air began to grow stale, and too over-used smelling. Tapestries on the walls were mould ridden and rotting away. Turning a corner in the passage, Vicious came to a heavy, oak door- guarded by two of his own men. 

"Well?" The pair of them saluted sharply to their master.

"Two days ago, he was half alive sir! As you instructed, we have not opened the door until you came. No food or drink has been administered either."

"…Let me in." The men looked at each other before turning the key the giant, heavy lock and handing a flaming torch to Vicious. With a labored effort, they managed to pull the door inwards on it's hinges. 

Quietness reigned within- broken only by the feeble drip of an unknown water source. In here, it was easy to understand why captives so quickly lost their sense of time and proportion. The thick blanket of darkness was formidable. Enough to make a sane man mad, and to drive a mad man to suicide.

Perfect, thought Vicious- with a little flutter of sadistic happiness that only came from taking joy in someone else's suffering. The white blonde man made it to the first platform in the stairs before surveying the body lying motionless on the cavern floor. It wasn't even worth going down there, he thought with slight disappointment. A pity even. He always liked tormenting the prisoners- watching them writhe around on the floor in pain, hear them pleading with him to put an end to their miserable existances. Apparently it was not to be today. Turning, Vicious climbed back up the stairs and returned the guard's torch. As phantom-like as he appeared, he vanished away into other levels of the house.

Lying in the mud of the cavern floor, the man opened an eye. He had survived from receiving another visit from _him._

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

a/n: I LIVE! Sorry for the first little a/n, but I seriously was sick. I almost had to get a blood test for glandular fever! X_________X()()() Blood….needles….*Pales * Excuse me a moment…

Phe passes out on the floor beneath the desk , and Spike at that point walks in.

Spike: "Uh..huh." Sits on the computer chair, "It seems that Phe-chan is…'incapacitated' at the moment coughalcoholiccough, sooo, I shall be doing the remainder of this author's note."

Faye appears.

Faye: "Nuh-uh! You can't do this- Phe-chan wouldn't allow it! You're not even a girl!"

Spike: "Really, now? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THESE?" Spike indicates his chest.

Faye: Tch. Everyone knows that they're just an excess amount of fat and fluid- the cause of which is yet to be discovered."

Spike cries.

"I'm not fat!"

Faye pats him sympathetically on the head.

"No, just incredibly, horribly, and hideously ugly." 


	8. Session Eight

a/n: Thanks to all for waiting for this session, whether willingly, or no (the latter being the most likely case). Unfortunately, I can't spend all of my holidays sitting at the computer, typing away, dammit. Did most people have a nice holiday season? I GOT ZELDA-WINDWAKER ON GAMECUBE!!! *Phe hugs her gamecube game* ^_______________^ 

Spike: "…You need to get out more…" *Takes the game away*

Phe-chan: "NOOO!!" *Lunges on Spike with a vengeance *

Spike: "JET! HELP ME! IT'S TRYING TO…KILL ME!"

Jet: "That's nice." *Turns the page of a book *

The ugliness of that small scene aside, it's now time for some shout outs.

Urazz (I'm working, working working on sessions as much as I can. ^_^)

Senshichan14 ( ^_^() Thank-you very much)

Tyger and Darkdracofire ( *Cries * These two are on holidays, and I can't contact them!)

Night Skye Tears ( *Phe hands her a tissue* There…there. It won't all be sad)

Maelgwyn (Yes, being awake is overrated.)

Randall Flagg2 (No, they don't. I'll probably have some more S/F fluff later on…or maybe Faye will just drop her hairdryer in the tub when Spike's taking a bath. She seems capable of that…)

neo-merlin (Thanks for putting me on your favs list!)

Ancient Zoidian. (Never mind, at least you got around to reviewing at some point- I've been extremely slow in getting this session out…)

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Eight

"I don't believe this!" Jet snatched the ship impoundment notice from Faye and tore it into tiny pieces, letting them scatter all over the floor. "I have the right papers! Here, look at them!" Faye pushed the documents away from under her nose so she could read them.

"That's what I thought too. Then how come…?" The lower hull hatch shuddered. Someone was on the outside, pummeling it relentlessly.

Jet groaned. "Don't tell me!"

Spike looked up from a meal-sized snack of cup ramen. "What? What's going on?"

Ed rolled onto her back and waved her hands and feet in the air, squealing loudly, "YAY! Cad and Snap-Snap! Looky looky!" Punching numerous keys on her laptop computer's keyboard, she accessed the security camera. Snap and Cadogen were on the hatch step, hastily dressed in casual clothes. Cadogen kicked the steel hatch in frustration, then made a rude gesture at the camera as it zoomed in on him. Ed was ecstatic. She mimicked his movements to everyone in the room.

"DAMN HIM!" Jet clutched his head and roared, stomping through the living room and down towards the hull hatch. Now there was something else to add to the list of things that he had to un-teach Edward.

Spike looked at Faye. "Do you know what's going on?"

Faye shrugged.

"Okay then." The only man left in the room, sadly turned back to eating his meat devoid noodles. No one paid any attention to him anymore. Stupid morons. He sniffed loudly and wiped his nose on his suit sleeve.

"Now what's wrong?" Faye stopped re-reading the parking license papers for the fifth time.

Spike's voice was wobbly, "No one loves me!"

"….Uhhh…." Faye did not know how to deal with this situation- so she reverted to the best problem solving method she knew. She ran away- or rather, limped.

"Where are you going?" Spike was distraught.

"Just seeing if Jet needs…uhh…any help with…uhh…that thing!" The young woman's feet pattered away into the distance. 

Spike was left alone to mutter darkly into his cup ramen. "Insensitive clod…" 

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"What the HELL is your problem?" Jet was standing on the threshold of the hatch door, glaring angrily like a cat who has had his fur rubbed up the wrong way.

"'My problem', as you so elegantly put it, is you! You're just so pig headed that you can't open your eyes and see-"

"Ahhh, shaddup you addlebrained idiot."

"If I'm an idiot, than you're a moron."

"Twerp."

"Twit."

"Dolt."

Snap placed a hand over Cad's mouth before he could hurl back another insult. She looked pleadingly at Jet. "Please, won't you at least talk to us? If you still had blood relatives alive- and you knew that they were being held captive by a monster, wouldn't you want to try and help them?" Jet rolled his eyes. "I thought so. Now, if you two men will quit acting like toddlers for three minutes, I would like to go and find Edward." The man who had Snap's arm hooked around his own poked his tongue out as they passed the deflated bounty hunter. Snap dealt the troublemaker a light slap. "I saw that, Doran."

Cadogen woefully rubbed his shoulder. "Whoever said that love hurts was right."

The young woman pulled him forward a pace and smiled brightly, much happier at the prospect of seeing Ed again.

"The boys at the station will think that I've been mugged, covered in bruises as I am. 'Cad!' They'll all cry,'What fiend has done this do you?' 'No fiend lads, but my charming lady companion." Snap tweaked his ear. "Give that mouth of yours a rest, or I'll raise such welts on your hide that you'll wish you really _had_ been mugged." Cadogen shut up. Their conversation had just come to a close when a small ball of tan, white, black and orange rocketed off the walls of the passage and barreled straight into the couple, knocking them, and Jet flat who was tailing close behind.

"SNAAAAP!" Edward sat on her elder's middle, and rubbed noses with her, purring loudly. Snap managed to sit up without toppling her young friend to the floor. When she had done so, she hugged her tightly.

"I had a feeling that I'd be seeing you again soon, little one."

Cad groaned and tenderly touched his head. "What was _that?_ A hurricane? A missile?"

"No, only ME!" Ed beamed proudly and leaped onto him, knocking the wind out of his chest. Jet reprimanded her. "Is that any way to treat our…" He said the last word grudgingly," guests?" 

"Guests? Since when did the Bebop have guests? Ever?" Faye Valentine had emerged from the darkened passage and into the light. Her eyes widened at the sight of Ed cutting of Cad's air supply, by joyfully clinging to his face. Snap peeled her off successfully, leaving her friend gasping and blue in the face.

"Hello, my name is Snap Dragon, and this is Cad Doran. We're friends of Edward and Jet."

"Well now, this is interesting, isn't it. Come in, Snap. Don't mind the mess. Living with two bachelors, the place is bound to be a little sloppy. What can a girl do?"

Snap looked pointedly at Cad, "Tell me about it." The pair of women snickered behind their hands and began walking into the living room.

"Oh, by the way, my name's Faye."

"Faye! What a pretty name!"

"Huh? You think so?"

Their voices became muffled as they plonked down together on the comfy sofa. Cad and Jet still stood motionless in the passage; Jet holding a limp Edward- dismayed because of her telling off- by the arms. Cad ran a hand through his dark hair resignedly. "I smell a conspiracy coming on."

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

Spike sucked up and swallowed the last, solitary noodle of his cup ramen when Faye strolled in, chatting animatedly to a pretty young woman. He was surprised, though not in a bad way. Placing both of his bare feet on the coffee table, he linked his fingers together and dropped them against his stomach. Luckily the shirt he was wearing was loose, with many folds, so that it hid his midsection from his wide shoulders down.

"You starting a book club, or something Faye?" Faye screwed her nose up at him and sat down on the couch. "Don't take any notice of him, Snap- he's just a bum with more time on his hands than he knows what to do with."

The pretty woman raised an eyebrow, amused. "I see." Spike grinned wolfishly, and picked up a nearby magazine. "Excuse me?"

Spike stopped flicking the glossy pages. "Yes?"

"Did you know that you're reading that upside down?" Spike could feel the skin beneath his suit flushing red, but he refused for his face to take on any trace of the offensive colour.

"But of course." He replied coolly. Snap laughed.

"If he's always like this, then I don't see why you would have a need to turn on the TV."

"Ugh. Don't encourage him." A trio of shadows grew on the carpet.

"Yes. Don't, Snap." Cadogen looked highly unimpressed as he sat down next to Snap. Spike looked equally unamused. Obviously he had some sort of tie to the strange woman. "And you are…?"

Jet answered quickly for him. "Cadogen Doran. Part time friend, full time pestilence."

Cad smiled sweetly. "Thanks, darling. You flatter me with your kind words."

"Zip it or I'll _flatten _you." The traffic cop shrugged and looked about the room. His eyes met Spike's. Tension crackled through the air like static electricity. Cad leaned forward and placed a hand on Snap's leg. That's clinched it, thought Spike sadly. She's taken by that witless fool. Sighing, Spike flicked a lint ball from the cushion beside him.

"I assume you brought these people here for a _reason_, Jet? It's so unlike you to hold slumber parties unannounced." Jet's body stiffened.

"I didn't _ask_ them to come. They've imprisoned me in my own ship against my will."

"For your own good." Cad chimed in.

"So you keep telling me." Jet muttered. Snap could take no more of the ceaseless bickering. Rising her voice sharply, she spoke until the others fell quiet. "The truth is, we are here for a reason. Edward's father has been taken captive by the Syndicate….and we need to find a way to get him back." 

Spike sat up straight in a flash. "The Syndicate? He may already be-" Jet raised a hand to stop him from speaking further. "We know that already. No one is forcing you, Spike, but we could really use your help in this…situation. You did, after all- spend a period of time with Vicious in the Syndicate, did you not?"

Cad's voice was harsh,"_What?_ You mean to say that you are associated with that..murdering _thing?_"

"No more than you are." Spike snapped angrily.

"Enough." Jet glared at both of them in turn. "So? Will you help us?" Spike looked down at Ed, who was playing games with her computer on the floor. So blissfully unaware…Spike's mind swirled back to distant memories of his own father, then back again. He had only been vaguely aware of his sire's anguished cries, as he had been dragged out of his bed and shot, his baby son and wife cowering in a cupboard in the next room. Edward had a chance to grow up with a father. Strangely, he felt compelled by the urge to give her that chance, with his wholehearted blessing.

"Fine, but I ain't sharing my ship with _nobody."_

"We wouldn't dream of asking it." Snap smiled and Spike could feel his insides go gooey. Or maybe that was just the cup ramen being digested?

Faye stood practically, and marched into the kitchen to rummage up some biscuits. "Are you lot just going to sit there all night like a bunch of stuffed animals, or are you going to make a plan?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, she's right." Spike scratched an ear lazily with his finger.

"Where do we start?" Snap said, puzzled.

Businesslike, Cad addressed the lanky man. "What can you tell me of the Syndicate?"

"What do you need to know?"

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

Vicious delicately fingered the stem of a crystal wineglass, filled with a dark red liquid. It was late evening inside his room, and again- his friend had come back to visit him. Vicious lay quietly on the soft feather mattress of his bed and stared at the high, white washed ceiling. It was during these periods of restfulness that dead memories decided to resurrect themselves. Women, men and children, pleading for their lives, covered in their own filth with the reek of fear stifling the fresh breathing air. All met their end at the barrel of a gun or the tip of his sword. Vicious felt no regrets. He gave himself a justification for each life he took, and felt perfectly validated by them. They were traitors, two faced, cowardly or simply unfit to live and walk in the same space as he. A cool breeze ruffled the heavy cloth curtains. Vicious gave himself no excuses that he was an agent of God, or even God himself. He did what he did because he felt like it. Simple as that. One memory, stronger and brighter than the rest fought to free itself from the tangle of evil thoughts inside the man's head. It was a young woman, sitting in a chair by an open window and softly singing a sweet verse about love and the stars in the sky. Vicious was surprised at himself. Draining the contents of the glass, he safely locked the memory deep down inside his being, to be forgotten until another lonely night. Sleep overcame him, and his thin white hair fell across his lined face, worn from the weariness of life: past, present and future.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

"Drink. It will help to clear your head." The adults looked skeptically into chipped ceramic mugs Jet had passed around. "What? You don't like herbal tea?"

Spike took a sip and spat it back into his mug, looking sick. "I'm not a regular tea person at the best of times, Jet."

"Me either." Cadogen sniffed the rising vapors and sneezed violently. 

Faye's eyes darted from side to side. "I think I'll save mine for later."

The ex detective said nothing, but he drank his tea frostily, in large gulps.

"Let's review what information we have, shall we?" Snap smoothed her skirt. "Spike, you know the whereabouts of Vicious' most favored haunt?" The reclined man nodded to confirm. "Good. In total, we have two small ships, four pistols-"

"And a data dog!" Edward held up Ein.

"Well, yes dear. We have him too. But even with all of this equipment, we have a short amount of time in which to work in." She tried to cover a tiny yawn with her hand, but to no avail. Cad gave her a one armed hug. "No hunting criminals for you tonight, sweet. You need sleep." Snap tried to wriggle out of his grip, protesting. "No I don't! Let me go, you big lump!" Faye smiled.

"He's right. I think we could all use a bit of shuteye after this recent turn of events. C'mon Snap. You can share my room with me." The young woman guest allowed herself to be steered away.

"You too, Edward. Bedtime." Jet picked the small girl up in his arms.

"Awwww! But I wanna stay up! Just ten more…minutes." She fell asleep, draped across Jet's shoulders. The big man's eyes twinkled, "So much for that. You two, there's spare pillows and blankets in the cupboard by the door. Don't make any mess, and _no_ raiding the kitchen in the middle of the night."

"Goodnight, to you too, Jet." Spike stretched out his long frame as the lights were flicked off. "Goodnight, Crud Bucket."

"That's _Cadogen." _An irritated voice growled in the darkness.

"Whatever."


	9. Session Nine

*Drumroll* Shout out time!

Tyger and Darkie-chan (Plot? This has a plot? Really? *looks amazed* I kind of thought this was just meandering slowly towards some vague point on the horizon…But, if you say so. )

Senshichan14 (Thank you for being such a loyal reviewer. I do appreciate it muchly…

Spike:"I feel…dizzy.." *Collapses on the floor*

Phe-chan: *Pokes his body with a stick* "Uh oh…" )

insert catchy name here (*Phe-chan cringes* Please don't squash me too flat!) 

Mael-kun! (For reviews to sessions 7 & 8- Cad hasn't noticed Spike's…ermm..'roundness' yet, don't worry…he will…hehehehehe..*Phe-chan waves a hose creepily*) 

Jahayme (Thanks! ^-^)

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Nine

"IT BIT ME!" Everyone on board the Bebop was plunged into rude morning wakefulness as Spike tipped a squealing Edward onto the floor.

"That's because you wouldn't wake up. Did you know you pick your nose in your sleep?"

"I do not, you irritating little midget."

"Do so! Ed saw you! So did Ein! Looklook! There's still some plastered to the side of your face!" She pointed in a fit of giggles.

"Charming." Cadogen had woken and was sitting cross legged on the couch, highly amused. "And it suits your complexion famously, Spike."

"I'll get you, little brat and big brat, just you wait." The embarrassed man flew from the room in the direction of the showers.

Faye and Snap stood in the doorway- they had slept in their clothes from the looks of things, and had dark rings around their eyes. Cadogen pulled Snap into his arms.

"I thought you were going to get a decent nights sleep!" He said suspiciously. "What have you been up to?"

Snap laughed quietly, "Nothing for you to be afraid of, dear one." Faye snickered from the kitchen as she pulled out boxes of cereal from various inset cupboards in the walls. All cupboards in the Bebop had specially designed magnetic latches, to prevent them from spewing forth their contents when the ancient old hulk launched itself into the air. Spike presently strolled in, rubbing his wet, matted hair with a nice fluffy towel.

"Do we have real food to eat today?" Flinging the towel across the room, it hit the wall with a satisfying _thwack_.

"You had better pick that up." Jet warned him, emerging from the side passage. "I'm not your nursemaid."

"No, you're Ed's, aren't you?" Spike grinned and deftly side stepped to avoid one of Jet's hefty boots from connecting with his head.

"You'll eat what you are given." Faye handed him a bowl of slightly warm, grey coloured goo.

"Wha..?"

"Porridge." She said firmly, and gave the rest of the company bowls of chocolate balls that exploded violently when they were spooned into the mouth.

"But that's not fair!"

Cadogen smiled wickedly, "Life's not fair, but in the real world, you have to learn how to deal with it. Eat up now, there's a good boy."

Spike muttered bitterly into his goo, "Bloody useless…dammit…" Ed had finished her breakfast in a new record time. Everyone well fed, and hap-hazardly groomed, talk of their impending venture was broached. 

" Miss Dragon *blush*, Faye and Edward must stay behind. "

Faye leapt from the couch. "WHAT? Who the HELL are you to tell _me-_"

"Settle down." Spike kicked the angry woman's feet from beneath her, sending her sprawling backwards into Snap. "I'd rather not have to see Vicious slit your pretty little throat- if indeed, would I be able to see it at all- my own most likely being cut from trying to rescue you. A loud, violent woman like you would give us away completely. Edward, well that's obvious. She's still a child with her whole life ahead of her."

"What about me?" Snap looked at him prettily.

"Uhh..well..umm.." 

Jet was blunt. "Have you ever picked up a gun in your life?"

"…No."

"Killed someone?"

"…No."

"Been shot yourself?"

"….and no."

"There you go. Case closed." Spike felt very pleased and full of himself at that moment.

"And dear old Crud Bucket.."

"_Cadogen_.."

"…You come with ME! Won't that be exciting? He he he. Don't worry Snap, I'll take a packet of band-aids in case the baby gets a boo boo."

Loading his gun and glaring, Cad rose and faced his tormentor. "Hardly necessary. But maybe I should bring along a glad zip bag to bring home your gizzards in?" Edward was sitting on the floor with Ein when she tugged Cad's pant leg. The look in her eyes was enough to make him regret what he had said instantly.

"Don't worry squirt, everyone's coming back in one piece, alive and whole, hopefully, we'll bring a visitor with us as well!" After a few sniffled good-byes (Faye slapped Spike when he attempted to hug her) the trio slumped out into the streets, dragging heavy feet and heavy hearts.

Many hours later, the three men (including one half-woman…hehehe) were still walking resignedly in the blazing heat. All around them, buildings seemed to be melting in the shimmering heat, rising in waves from the black tarred surface of the roads. Spike held his jacket up over his head like an umbrella, and Cad still had his police cap, which he'd stuffed into his pants pocket. Poor Jet, neglecting his hat in his haste to leave, was unwillingly changing his scalp colour from white, to pink, then to a violent shade of tomato red.

"My, my, all we have to do is set you up at an intersection, and traffic will never move again." Spike smirked from beneath his mini shade tent.

"Shut up Spiegel." Jet's temper was short. He also had a disgusting headache. Rubbing his eyes, he said unpleasant things in the presence of small children and their mothers who were passing by. Horrified, women shooed their offspring away, clucking indignantly amongst themselves.

"You shouldn't have said that to Ed, Doran." Jet remarked.

"Huh? Why not?"

"What if we can't bring home her father alive? You'll have built up her hopes for nothing. _I _am going to be the one who has to watch her tiny spirit break. "

"It's called _hope,_ egg-head." Spike unexpectedly came to Cad's defense. The Traffic Control officer was alarmed- he suspected foul play afoot. "A little can stretch a long way, try it some time." With that, he lengthened his stride and easily ambled ahead of his companions. Cad and Jet looked at each other, then at Spike's dwindling figure. Neither of them knew what to say. Spike was acting grown-up…and that could only mean one thing. Putting on a sudden burst of speed, the pair sprinted, dodging other pedestrians. They were drawing closer to the crow's nest, and feathers would fly.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

There is no pain anymore. The part of brain that tells me it hurts has shut down. I can feel other things flicking off inside my body as well: like someone who switches off all of the lights one by one in a house before they curl up and go to sleep in a nice warm bed. Bed, huh? I can't even remember what one looks like anymore, let alone how it feels to be warm and safe. Sometimes I can hear things moving in the dark beside me. Things that don't want to wait until I am dead to start moving in on my carcass. Had I been able to sob, or cry out- I would. The truth was, it took too much energy to even screw my face up. I can't take this much longer. I'm sorry. I…just..can't. 

a/n: Ooohh..creepy chapter ending. 0_0 It's been quite a while since I've posted, isn't it? Hmmmm……well, as always, I'm working till my eyeballs very nearly fall out and roll across the desk. That, and I start back at school tomorrow…-_______-()()() 

Lalalala….might as well spend my last few hours of freedom doing something mind-deadening….*Eyes off the DVD player* Hehehe…

Bye!

PS. Know this session is short- but I'm not in the mood to care right now. HAHAHA! *Pokes tongue out at Tyger*


	10. Session Ten

a/n: 

Certain people, through their nice reviews have suggested (In some cases, _demanded_) to have favourite writing aspects, styles, ideas, yadda yadda yadda, incorporated into my story. Well.normally, I wouldn't really give a damn, but since everyone who has read CT, reviewed and been stunningly nice towards me, I shall bend to the will of the masses and try to please everyone. Thank-you all. This is CT's milestone 10th chapter. 

I was thinking of each of you when I wrote this. You'll know which paragraph/sections you influenced when you read them...*Phe laughs and falls off her chair* 

*Spike appears, horrified* "RUN AWAY, PEOPLE!! SHE'S DERRANGED!! ESCAPE WHILE THERE'S STILL TIME!! GAHH-" 

Phe: :) He he he. 

Shout outs:

Tyger-chan: What would I be without you? I would have to poke myself all the time to fill the void! ^-^()

Mael-kun: Another whose input I value. ^-^. Thanks, buddy- for taking time out to read my crap all the time. (Extra Jet-person for you as a treat!)

MalletWielderofDoom: Senshichan..? You have changed your name?

stolenblood: Welcome to the small group of CT reviewers. May sugar always be plentiful and in your reach.

Torii: Same comments apply as above. ^_^

(I'm sorry if I've left anyone out. Please forgive me. Just yell at me in a review, and I'll fix it up for you. Can you really blame me though? I should have been asleep three hours ago.)

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Ten

__

Rain fell softly from the darkened sky, mingling with salty tears as a mother and her son ran from their house and into the night. Red were the boy's hands- from desperately trying to shake his father awake, ignoring his mother's pleas and cries of distress. It wasn't true. It couldn't be. Tomorrow, he'd wake up, and dad would be there- sitting on the end of his bed, waiting patiently for him get up, while he sipped a mug of coffee. The boy's face stung where his mother had slapped him. He forgave her for it. She was out of her mind at the time, desperate to get him away, tugging and pulling at him..trying to pry his fingers away from the corpse. All a dream.The clouds burst, and it seemed to the boy as if all of the oceans had been scooped up, and poured through a sieve in the sky. Muffled footsteps sloshed through deep puddles, and mud splattered their clothes. All a dream.some horrible, terrifying dream.

Jet waved a hand in front of Spike's face. "Hey, are you all right? You seem really out of it."

Spike blinked at him, as if emerging from a deep sleep; "No.I'm fine, really." He looked around him. "Jet? Where's Crud Bucket?"

"He's right behind." Jet swung sideways to clap a hand on Cad's back, but how could he? Empty air occupied his space.

"Where the hell has he gotten to _this_ time?" 

Down the street.

"You really can't waste water like that, kids. HEY! Are you even _listening_ to me?" Cadogen was yelling at a group of children who had broken open a fire hydrant on the side of the street. Precious water was spewing forth in a gigantic fountain, making the kids squeal in delight and run around, soaking wet, in circles.

"Can't stop being a cop for five lousy minutes, _can_ you?" Spike grabbed the officer's arm and dragged him away through the cascade of water. "Don't you remember that we've got more important things to attend to than reprimanding street punks?" Cadogen did not speak a word. "Huh? A monkey rip out your tongue, or something? You're very quiet." Cad's eyes were wide as he stared at Spike in disbelief.

"B.b.sweet merciful crap!"

"What are you babbling about?" When Cadogen blushed and looked away, the penny dropped in Spike's mind. His shirt was drenched, clinging tightly to his.shall we say._curvy_ body? Disgusted at his torso, Spike roughly hauled the younger man away.

"Get any ideas," He hissed savagely, "And I plunge my hand into your chest, and tear out your beating heart. Understand?" Cad nodded furiously, his knees trembling. For a moment, he had seen the bounty hunter in a totally new, intoxicating light. It horrified Cad that he was even _thinking_ such vulgar thoughts. Bad boy! Must not think such things! Mentally chanting this phrase over and over again, Cad allowed himself to be dragged down the street- the faintest hint of a blush remaining in his cheeks.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~

"God damn sexist males!" Faye Valentine kicked the couch violently. She was still trying to get over Spike's annoying, cocky, arrogant display in front of everyone, before he left to go and get himself shot in the head. Who the hell did he think he was? Faye quailed slightly inwardly. What if.? Was he looking out for her? _Again?_ Faye forgot about their fragile relationship that seemed to be growing over the past couple of weeks. She wanted to hate that man right now, hate him so much for leaving her behind, that she would be willing to tear off his testicles, freeze them, and smash them into tiny, tiny pieces with a heavy mallet. Yes, readers. We all know that Faye needs some anger management classes, as well as a good bout of A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings.

Snap nodded angrily in agreement. "It's as if they think we're total invalids or something! Just because I'm not some gun toting cowboy, it doesn't mean that I can't give some kind of help!" The two women sat together, sipping hot drinks and thinking frostily about certain idiotic cave men. At length, Edward crawled in between them, enjoying the feminine company- she usually hung around Jet most of the time. As great as he was (he taught her how to spit, tie knots and trim the odd bonsai), he didn't have the same soft, female presence and smells as these two had. Now, gentle reader, you must be aware of something very important. Not all people can tolerate being told what to do. In fact, I believe there are very few who can. But an outlandish, rebellious and foolish woman, coupled with others with her brood is bad news. Why? They formulate outlandish, rebellious and foolish plans of revenge, of course. Beware, ye men- of she that holds a grudge. The three talked rapidly as they ate, discarding all advice from their friends. Who needed it? Faye had her gun, her ship (with lasers), Snap had a knife from the kitchen drawer, and Edward had her Tomato (to bonk people on the head with), and her sharp, pointy little teeth. They were set. The ship had fuel, the key to the Bebop was under the welcome mat, and nobody could stop them. Late in the afternoon, they blasted off into the sky, dipping low to the street to scatter pedestrians- just for the hell of it.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~

What if.? What if he's alive? That's obvious- then she would leave with _him_. Go and live with _him_, and I will be left on my own again. God, I don't think I could handle that. Not again. It was bad enough when that.that woman left. But my own, sweet little red headed monster? I've grown attached. I told myself I shouldn't, but I have. Damn. Why the hell me? Why couldn't she just wander into some other miserable wretch's life and screw them over? Why the hell am I even doing this? I could be out collecting a paycheck, without a care in the world, just like it used to be before she came along. _But.weren't you unhappy before?_ A small voice inside my brain whispers. No! I reply, if you shut up I'll give you some tar and nicotine. The small voice immediately stops. It could never resist death sticks. I have a headache. I have sunburn. I have two moronic co-workers with the collective I.Q. of minus two, and I need a smoke. Crap. I left my lighter at home.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ 

a/n: *****Phe-chan yawns widely* See what I'm doing for you people? Staying up late.type.typing away. *YAWN* Need sleep. Or shower..humm.too tired for brain to make accurate decision. 

Phe's inner voice: "You know, we could really use a leprechaun around the house. Why don't you-?"

Phe: *Totally out of it- zombified* "Huh? Leprechaun?"

Phe's inner voice: "Yes. Leprechaun. All you need is.*The voice whispers inaudibly* 

Phe: *nods drowsily* "Uh-huh, ok, got that." *She wanders out of the room*

Phe's inner voice: "Hehehe.now, people. I know I have been very evil in making Phe give you another boring filler chapter with no blood, but be a good little group of corruptible youth and review. OTHERWISE, I will set my leprechaun on you when Phe returns with it.

*Phe is heard cooing and calling: "Here, leppy- leppy- leprechaun!" from outside.*


	11. Session Eleven

a/n: *Phe-chan mumbles and mutters in disgust* Just ignore me, the poor weary and sun-burnt authoress. I've spent my weekend in the high north eastern hills of Victoria, Aus. , in 40 degree (C ) plus heat. Compound that with no air conditioning, no computer, and my house there (I semi live there) being home to a small number of native bats; that like to climb out of the roof at night- flapping and squeaking in my ears when I'm trying desperately to fall asleep. Despite that- I had fun. I got to go to our small community's annual Sports Day. It's a big thing for many people- there's lots of horse races (I took my sketchbook with me and drew some ^_____^ ) , axe-men compete in wood chopping comps for trophies and whatnot, and small children with grubby faces run wild in small gangs away from the restricting eyes of their parents.

Ah, my day was made when I was 'accidentally' run over by a small mob of sheep. I first noticed that something was amiss when I received a head butt while trying to sketch a little Arabian pony… …well, my brief bout of patriotism is wearing thin. I'm back in town (kisses hot water service, air con and computer) and I'm ready to go back to reading my beloved manga, go back to *chokegagcoughsplutter* 'beloved' school, and burn my 'beloved' homework.

Shout outs:

Tyger-chan: Will you be able to read this fuzz? 

Mael-kun: Well….It's kinda more session…don't know if it really goes anywhere, I'll have to check up on your ficlets later.

MalletWielderofDoom: ^____^

Torii

Bebi_Mara_Jade

tee…something: (for session 6) Well, it would suck if you forgot your id….. Glad you like the fic, thanks much for reviewing!

Wow. So many new people reviewing. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Spike: "…That's because your wearing fuzzy pjs!!" 

Phe: *looks at the clothes she is wearing* "Huh. Fancy that." 

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Eleven

A cool wind forced the warm air to rise upwards into a pink and orange sky. There, it condensed and began to drizzle softly down to Mars, where it was welcomed joyfully. The heat had been unbearable these few days past, with the whole string of planets drawing closer to the Sun. It was ironic that the creator of all life should be its destroyer. That was why the Mars colony had been established in the first place; Earth was going to burn up. Completely ignorant of the small problem that mankind was about to become crispified, Spike Spiegel halted his friends walking behind him by raising his hand.

"We're here."

Jet slipped some bullets into his hand held pistol. "Then what are we standing around for?" Spike looked searchingly at Cadogen. He was younger than himself by a few years, and his face was drawn and grim.

"Don't be afraid. You are doing a brave thing. Stick with Jet and do as he tells you. You'll be fine." Cad nodded slowly, but his hands shook slightly as he checked his weapons. Spike didn't need to worry about Jet, the seasoned cop. He could only harbor the smallest flicker of hope that the three of them would emerge alive from this. The realistic part of his brain smothered that thought as he gazed at the darkened mansion on the outskirts of town. The windows were bare and dusty, giving the house the appearance of a hideous face with empty eye sockets. Dead leaves piled against the front porch steps. In the fierce heat of summer, all plants and trees in the yard had perished. Nothing was left but a dry, brown wasteland. The boots of the three men crunched nosily over the dead grass, despite their best efforts to walk on their heels. Quickly, they flattened themselves against the shaded wall on either side of the front door, breathing heavily.

"Why aren't there any guards?" Cadogen hissed to Spike. 

Cocking the hammer of his gun, Spike murmured a reply,"Don't worry. They're in there- as certain as a cat has claws." Slowly reaching out his hand, he turned the handle of the door. The hinges screamed loudly, making them all cringe. They waited patiently for someone to come and see what the matter was, but no one came. With the stealth and caution of three panthers, they edged their way into the entrance hall. It too, was deserted. Dust blanketed everything. Spiders had woven their webs between the banister railings, over cracked picture frames hanging on the walls, and high in the rafters perched a lone crow- it's ugly sounding voice startling them. Spike's eyes roved restlessly. Nothing had changed since he was last here. Even the damn tame crow Vicious kept was still alive. It was unnatural, it's spectral blue eyes staring fixedly at the trio of trespassers. The silence was so terribly deep, that it made one afraid to walk across the creaky floorboards. Suddenly, a faint strain of music drifted down from an open door upstairs. Using hand signals, Spike motioned for the other two to flank him as they made their way up the stairs. The music had increased in volume- it was a slow depressing blues piece, with the melancholy tones of a saxophone. Presently, they heard a distinct sound of a _someone_ clearing their throat. There was another _someone_ leaning back in a chair. Now was the time to repent all sins, Jet thought. But there was too many of his to count. He steadied his trigger finger as Spike gathered himself to spring through the doorway. _Someone_ spoke,"Shut that off, will you?"

"Why?"

"Don't you hear it?"

"Hear what?" the crow swept past the frozen rescuers and into the room, out of sight. It cawed softly.

"Shit!" Guns were hastily loaded and chairs were thrown to the floor. "There are intruders in the house…_they're right outside the door!" _

A transparent, bodiless observer could not tell you later who fired the first shot. Neither could they tell you the pitch of the pained screams, or the way blood and gore splattered the walls as the sweet kiss of hot lead seared through flesh and shattered bone. Light and shadow played upon the pale faces of the fallen, lying slumped over in strange positions on the floor. They were but a handful of Vicious' expansive human resources. Eager to make something of themselves, they had joined the Syndicate at a young age, only to leave it with a bullet between the eyes. No family member would know of their passing or mourn for them. To the three men left alive, they were nothing. They were faceless, nameless, and now- lifeless. One room had been flushed out. Spike wiped his sweaty hands on his shirt, his mouth a grim slash. "We must go through each of them. One by one, until Mr. Rabbit is caught and cornered." Cadogen winced as Jet helped him move through the door. He had been struck across the face in the confusion with a heavy blade. His bloodied eyes rolled in their sockets. He would never be able to see again. The digital blues record had played itself out for good as the last notes sank into the air. Forever would Cadogen remember that music, the music that had signed the darkening of his world.

~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~

Edward fidgeted in the back of Faye's ship, packed in tight like a sardine amongst arms and random supplies. Neither of the two adults spoke much, she observed. Though when they did, it was always quickly, casting furtive glances over their shoulders at her. Eventually, this kind of behavior unsettled her a little. "How long 'till we get there, Faye-Faye?" Faye rolled the cricks out of her neck- developed by sitting hunched over the controls for a long period of time.

"Not long," She said quietly, "do you know what to do when we land?"

Ed's eyes widened and she nodded slowly as if recalling a set of instructions. "Uh-huh."

"Good girl." Snap fought to swallow the lump rising in her throat. They should have made Edward stay at home, on board the Bebop. She was only thirteen years old, for God's sake! Now the happy little child was sitting amongst weapons, limbs twitching and eager to jump into a place full of strangers and be shot. Snap couldn't handle the thought of it. Tears pit-pattered from her eyes as she held Ed's imaginary still body close. A small hand grasped hers from behind. "Don't cry, Snap-Snap! Are you sad?" The girl's voice was soft. Snap attempted to sound reassuring as she squeezed the hand gently.

"No, I'm not sad, Ed. I'm happy."

"Happy?" Ed was confused!

"I'm happy," Snap continued, "Because I've known you. My life memories will be so much richer because of it." When she finished speaking, she turned around to face the dusky horizon. The ship's interior was quiet as each contemplated her thoughts.

"What kind of man is he, your father?" Faye asked at length. Ed was reluctant in answering,

"Edward doesn't know." She muttered, "Ed can only remember little pieces, like in a puzzle. A smell and his voice. Ed remembers his voice." Her words touched a chord within Faye. She too, remembered faint sounds of her past. Unlike her though, Ed had a chance to hear them again.

"I'm sure he's a good man." Faye said slowly, keeping her eyes fixed on a dark point on the outskirts of the city. "We're nearly there. Tighten up your seatbelts, and I'll take this old hulk back to solid ground." Carefully, Faye maneuvered the creaking ship on a downward descent. Red dust whipped into the air and floated away. All around them was a parched relic of vegetation. No small animals. No birds- not even a solitary cricket chirping happily. Nearby, in a mansion that seemed to be abandoned, shots from a gun were fired, which- although muffled, could be heard outside. Hearts leapt unbidden into mouths. Sweat broke out on skin. "No time to lose!" Hastily pulling on her shoulder holster, Faye pounded towards the house; her face was pale and determined. Edward had soon outstripped both Snap and Faye, her long legs eating up the distance like a gazelle. With blood pounding in her ears, she waited for her friends in the shade by the front door. It was open a crack. Pushing Ed out of the way, Faye peered into the darkened room with her loaded gun in her hands. It was empty. Deep in the belly of the mansion, she heard a muffled scream. More gunshots, and the new sound of shattering glass. Faye quickly withdrew to the comparative safety of the wall. "I'll never forgive either of you if you die on me." Snap mustered up a small, trembling smile.

"Don't worry about us." She drew Ed close to her. "Go." Faye faltered. "GO!" Together they ran into the room and separated; Faye heading for the stairs while Snap and Edward slipped through a side passageway on the ground floor. Finally they were in on the action, resolutely padding through empty rooms and corridors, always searching, and listening for heavy step of a patrolling guard. The battle progressing upstairs was always within earshot, shaking the walls. Trying to get away from the horrible sound, Ed and Snap flew along the passage. Gradually, the floor they were running on began to slope downwards. The walls, Snap noticed fleetingly- were now made from blocks of stone, not wooden boards. The air became chillier and time distended. They were now running beneath the surface of the planet.  


~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~ ~:+:~

Surprisingly, there were no guards at the end of the sloping corridor, only a heavy oak door set into the living rock. But no guards meant no keys. In despair, Edward scrabbled with, and hissed at the lock, but it was a fruitless effort that hurt her fingers.

"Stand back Ed." Snap pulled the hammer back on her pistol. "And cover your face with your arms." Cringing, Snap sent a bullet straight through the lock, the noise of metal striking metal echoing loudly around them. With the door smoking, Snap kicked it open and sharply inhaled. A black void opened out before them, silent expect for a strange _drip drip _noise. Picking up a torch that had been discarded on the ground (in apparent great haste), Ed lead the way, her sensitive feet and eyes picking out a safe path down the cold and grimy stairs. When they reached the bottom, they discovered they were standing in a cavern, the floor of which, was in most regards- mud. With her hands on Ed's shoulders, Snap quietly whispered something. Together, they made their way to the far wall and a lumpy mass huddled at the foot of it. Ed turned away and sobbed into Snap's clothes as the older woman held her. It was over. He was dead.

a/n: Wooooo….Lots of people die in this session, but next time, someone else will either die, or be maimed. Haven't decided yet, so you'll just have to sit on the edge of your seats and..WAIT!! HA HA HA!

^____________^ Please don't kill me. I'm having a great day! I quit my job, and I feel damn happy.

Please review. I think Next session may be the last one, so REVIEW, and I'll…uhh…uhhh…..

Phe's inner voice: "You won't set the leprechaun on them?"

Phe: "Yes, that, and I'll give them a balloon."

Phe's inner voice: "Waaa! No fair! I want a balloon! YOU STEALA MY BALLOON!!"

Phe: "….Riighhht…"


	12. FarewellSession Twelve

a/n: My, my. It has been a while since I have updated, hasn't it. Apologies. I got caught up with other ficcies I'm writing at the moment. But after some gentle prodding, I've decided it would be better if I simply finish this and get it over and done with. Then I'm left to concentrate on more interesting things.

CHERRY TOMATO

Session Twelve

Faye Valentine stood rigid on the staircase; unable to move when she heard the screams of the dying permeating the air from upstairs. She had seen flashes of almost blinding light from the open door as multiple guns were fired. A low murmur of voices could be heard. Spike? Dear God, what if he was…

Heart in mouth, Faye stumbled up the stairs and onto the landing. The plaster on the walls hung in tatters, riddled by hundreds of bullet holes.

"Spike?" Her voice was trembling, betraying her fear at what might lay in the room beyond. "Spike, Jet…if you're there, please answer me!" The voices had stopped. For one horrible second, Faye believed that her friends had all been murdered, and she would be the next to wind up with a bullet in her brain.

"Faye?" Jet appeared, staggering under Cadogen's weight as supported the wounded man. "What are you doing here?"

Faye bit back a scream of horror as she stared at Cadogen's face. Blood coursed down his cheeks in small rivers, then dripped from his chin to splatter on the floor.

"I…" The infamous Faye Valentine was for once- lost for words.

"You were just leaving, weren't you?" Spike limped through the doorway, a small revolver in each hand.

Faye had never seen him so angry.

"Well? I'd be right in guessing you took your ship over here. Get in it and fly straight back to the Bebop. _Now._"

"…You can't tell me what to do!" Now that Spike was obviously still alive, some of Faye's fiery temper had returned.

"Why the _Hell_ do you think I said to stay there in the first place?" He said sharply. "Do you think I want to see you killed?" Spike crossed the short distance between them and held her arm in a vice-like grip. "Well, do you?"

Faye did not reply.

"Go now. Get back to Snap and Ed. They need you more than us right now."

"I can't." Faye looked guiltily at her shoes.

"_Why not?_"

"Because," Faye spoke to Spike's chest rather than his face- it was easier that way, "they came with me. They went to look for Ed's father downstairs."

Spike wanted to strike her in the face. It was bad enough that she had followed them when he specifically told her _not_ to, but to bring the other two… He gritted his teeth and glared at Faye, who was fidgeting in hot shame. Cadogen gave a small whimper as Jet tore another of his shirtsleeves to bind his bleeding eyes. Spike flicked a glance over to them before loading the pistol in his right hand with another bullet.

"I don't want to do this, you know. But you've left me with no alternative." he pointed the loaded weapon at Faye. "Take Cad downstairs. Find the other two and leave immediately. This is not a request."

Faye stared down the barrel dumbly, not entirely sure what had just happened. Spike pulled back the pistol's hammer.

"Do it." he said in a deadly whisper. Tears of confusion and anger sparkled against Faye's pale skin as she drew back sharply towards the other two men. Jet gently placed Cad's hand in hers and ushered them to the stair-rail.

"Take it easy." the older man said softly, "But try to get out quickly. We'll follow if we're still…" Faye chewed her lip and nodded slightly. She wanted to haughtily brush past Spike and stalk down the stairs with all the indignation of being threatened with her imminent death allowed, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her slender hand with long, delicate fingers reached out to him but was snatched back. She seemed to think the better of it before he could return the touch. Steeling herself, Faye gripped Cadogen's arm and guided him down the treacherous stairs.

Spike's gun followed them until they left through the door. Upon their disappearance, his finger relaxed from the trigger.

"A little extreme, wasn't it?" Jet commented dryly. Spike shrugged his shoulders and allowed a thin smile to grace his lips.

"You know Faye. A stubborn ass." Jet replied with a small smile.

"Let's continue shall we?"

"Ladies first." Spike bowed slightly and kicked a nearby door open. Jet cuffed his young comrade around the head as he edged past, gun raised and at the ready.

Fallen leaves that had blown in from outside lay accumulating along the peeling white painted skirting board of the hallway. The rendered stone walls also stood with blistering paint- forlorn and forgotten in the ancient mansion. The hall opened out into a large bare room. Instead of windows, it had massive gaps from floor to ceiling in the walls. A cold breeze swept up from the courtyard below and through the gaps in the cast iron railings.

A thin voice in the corner of the room spoke, "My, aren't I lucky? Not one, but two visitors." Vicious moved from the shadows concealing him, arms beneath the voluminous folds of his black overcoat. On the railing beside him perched his blue eyed crow companion- hopping from one foot to the other.

Instantly, Jet trained the gun on the other man's forehead.

"One move," he barked, "One move and I lodge a bullet in your brain prematurely."

"Now, now. Can't we be nice children and play together?" Jet emptied a clip of bullets that seared through the air. With a single fluid motion, Vicious dodged them and ran in a wide arc along the wall to where Jet was standing.

"Ahh, but I've just remembered- I never did like having playmates." Swiftly drawing back, Vicious narrowed his glittering eyes as he observed Jet clutching his stomach and sinking to the floor. Blood was rapidly soaking his shirt and escaping the pressures of his hands. He had been shot, and at point blank range.

"Jet? JET?!" Throwing caution to the wind, Spike dropped his weapons and skidded awkwardly to where Jet's bulky body lay huddled in a crippled mess on the floor. "Can you hear me? JET?" Spike roughly shook his shoulders and was rewarded with a faint groan. "You…_bastard_!" He directed his comment to Vicious and wiped his face with one hand. The blood from Jet's wound smeared and mixed with the sweat on his skin. "I'll kill you for that!"

Vicious ran gloved fingers delicately through his white hair.

"Try…if you want." Spike flung his arm backwards and groped on the floor for a fallen gun. "But how can you ever expect to extract vengeance from me if…you are already dead?" Spike's hand connected with the stock of the pistol and gripping it, he swept it out in front of him at chest height.

"What the hell are you babbling about?" he demanded as he lurched to his feet and fired a round in the other's direction. Again, Vicious flowed away from the attack and gave an inhuman sounding laugh that bounced off the walls.

"Already dead…you just don't know it yet."

"ENOUGH!" Spike roared. "Haven't you ever been called a 'BROKEN RECORD'?" The clip in Spike's right hand pistol now empty, he sharply withdrew to the cover of the wall to reload. Empty shells of bullets rolled smoking away on the dusty floor, scattered plentifully like sugar on cereal. But there was nothing sweet about this entire situation. Spike strained his ears to hear movements- footsteps, an occasional creaking of a floorboard…_anything_ that would help give away Vicious' current position. He had to make some noise didn't he? Spike reasoned with himself. Unless he's learnt to hover in mid air in under five minutes. That was possible, but highly unlikely.

"Funnily enough…no." The wall where Spike's head had been but three seconds ago was crumbling away into a blizzard of volatile dust, as well as dangerous looking chunks of jagged plaster and wooden supports. So, it was time to play dirty, was it? Thought Spike. Well why don't I re-educate this…this…_thing_ and bring him down to real dirt level? Spiegel style?

Smoothly flowing from beneath Vicious' outstretched arm, Spike pivoted on the spot and ground the barrel of his loaded weapon into the other man's ear. A long time passed in which nothing was said and nothing in the mansion stirred.

"Well?" Vicious asked quietly, "Isn't this the part where you pull the trigger?"

Spike ground his teeth and resolutely pulled the hammer of the gun backwards.

"You don't have the nerve, do you?" Vicious tapped is forehead with a gloved index finger and smiled slyly. "I know what you're thinking."

"Liar." Spike spat with disgust. "I can kill you now and still wake up tomorrow for a three course breakfast without feeling any remorse. I'd be doing the world a public service."

"Then do it already." As he spoke, Vicious was slowly unsheathing the small sword, which hung by a red silk cord at his hip. An oiled cloth run over the blade and the interior of the scabbard meant that barely a sound alarmed any person standing nearby to its deadly intentions.

"Just so you know…" Spike began saying. He intended to end by condescendingly remarking that his enemy may have done better by unsheathing his sword _before _their fight, when he found himself cut short.

"…There…is….no God where you're going." Jet looked at them upside down from his position on the floor. Blood from his wound was slowly spreading out across the floor so that it pooled darkly around his head. With what appeared to be a tremendous effort, Jet held one of the forgotten guns in slippery hands. Without hesitation, he squeezed the trigger and sent a single bullet spiraling through the air to tear through the black withered thing that was Vicious' heart.

The man who had caused so much grief, pain and tears seemed shocked to find himself so…mortal and offguard. A last summoning of strength allowed him to throw his sword clattering in Jet's direction, before forsaking the living world.

Spike could not bring himself to even dirty his boots by walking over the warm body. Skirting it, he hurriedly limped to his friend's still form.

"Jet?" he said softly, loosening the gun from the other man's stiff grip and letting it drop to the floor. "Jet?" A hint of desperation intermixed with fear sent Spike's voice quavering. Something flickered behind Jet's eyelids. It was exhausting to try and turn his head and focus his vision.

"Look after her, won't you?" he breathed laboredly.

"…After who?" Spike choked.

"…My…cherry tomato…promise me!"

Not completely understanding, Spike uttered, "I will." and squeezed Jet's red stained hand.

"…Then…everything…is as it should be." With a smile Jet closed his eyes and let his chest fall, air escaping his lungs with a sigh. It never rose again. Tenderly, Spike lowered the limp hand he grasped to the floor. Sliding backwards, he braced his shoulders against the wall and felt in his jacket pocket for a cigarette and a lighter. Finding both, he chewed an end of the cigarette and fumbled with the lighter, but his numb fingers couldn't work the catch.

Smiling sadly, Spike pulled it from his mouth and lay it beside Jet's body.

"Let's hope they let you smoke in heaven old man."

Dust settled thickly once again in the old forgotten mansion. The pulse of the world skipped a beat as it remembered its son, Jet Black and bade him farewell. Sunlight streamed in through the open spaces in the walls and warmed Spike's face. A tiny, unknown bird clung to a balcony railing as it twittered and sung…a broken blues melody.

a/n: Wow. I've actually….finished?

As a writer of dribble I would like to say thank-you to each individual for taking the time to read Cherry Tomato- the WHOLE thing, or just bits of it. I guard the support and praise you all gave me in a shoebox under my bed…().

I admit, writing this last session was somewhat of a struggle. I don't particularly do well with dramatic-type scenes, and it appeared that I'd be shopping around for my own burial plot before I got this posted.

But here it is- bullets, gizzards and all. Though, I'll say that I liked the last paragraph. I find it leaves the story with a lingering impression of hope, despite all the horrible atrocities I've inflicted on the poor characters.

Walk away from your computer knowing that sun is still shining outside and chocolate is only a walk to the shops away… Mmm…chocolate…

__

SEE YOU, SPACE COWBOY

Phe-chan


	13. Epilogue

CHERRY TOMATO

Epilogue

__

Deep inside of her, I know it still hurts. I can see it in her eyes as I watch her play, bond with her computer or experiment with strange clothing and makeup. The others on board the ship…what is the word? Ah, yes- 'adults', they comfort her when she feels so miserable, she can barely hold her small head high above her skinny shoulders. The man who cannot see still comes to visit with his wife- a pretty thing that seems to perpetually have the aroma of coffee and pancakes clinging to her.

The tall one…Spike- showed her some pieces of paper and gently said they were adoption forms. The other woman, Faye- leant on his shoulder and smiled as he explained. Seems they wanted her to stay around after all. Orphaned twice, maybe she has finally found a home to belong to.

With wide and deep orange eyes, she has related these things to me in the confines of the hammock we both share with the unusual male scent. It's slowly fading as time slips through our fingers, but it seems vaguely reassuring for some farfetched reason.

There are pictures on the wall too. One of her and I, but others also of her collective parents. The Original, The Favourite, and The New.

She touches each of them before she falls asleep- reassuring herself that she will indeed meet them in that place on the edge of dreams and reality- Where the sun is strong, the grass is lush and green, and the bird's repertoires consist solely of songs of happiness and peace.

FLEA ALERT! FLEA ALERT! TURN AROUND! BITE, BITE, and BITE!

__

Dammit. I hate freakin' fleas.

a/n:

== Kay! Hoped you all liked this lil' epilogue to neaten things up a bit and tie together the loose ends.

Thank you to all of the new reviewers who've taken an interest in my story since the last session was posted. It's very gratifying!

Oh, and just incase any of you weren't able to tell, this particular piece of writing was in Ein's POV.

Phe-chan.

Mayhap I'll do another Bebop ficlet? What do you think? Let me know in a review?


End file.
